


The Breaking of Time

by TheHonorablePrince



Series: The Legend of Zelda: The War of Imprisonment [1]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adopted Children, Camaraderie, Darkness, Despair, F/M, Father Figures, Friendship, Gen, Grimdark, Hope, Legend of Zelda References, Male Friendship, Male-Female Friendship, Mentor/Protégé, Military, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Mother-Son Relationship, Romance, Tragedy, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-29
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:42:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 33
Words: 80,748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27777823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheHonorablePrince/pseuds/TheHonorablePrince
Summary: The re-telling of Ocarina of Time as it branches into the Downfall Timeline. This fiction is intended to explain how exactly the downfall timeline's branch was created and to connect Ocarina of Time and A Link to the Past. It is a story of Adventure, Love, and Great Tragedy. Feedback welcome! Rated Teen for Violence, Some Language, and Some Sexual Themes.Link must struggle to survive in a kingdom that is rapidly being consumed by evil. He has pulled the Master Sword, but he is too young to wield it. He befriends one of the few Hylian Knights to survive Ganondorf's attack. Together, they will have to train Link to be a cunning warrior while still keeping the evil forces at bay and protecting Princess Zelda.The text of this story is -for all intents and purposes- a "completed draft." Additional art will be added as it becomes available. I hope you enjoy! Please leave feedback!
Relationships: Alfon/Telma (Legend of Zelda), Link/Malon (Legend of Zelda), Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda)
Series: The Legend of Zelda: The War of Imprisonment [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2032114
Kudos: 10





	1. Prologue: The Dark Traveler in the Night

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the Legend of Zelda series by Nintendo.
> 
> Fan Fiction created by: The Honorable Prince
> 
> Illustrations & Character Designs by: @AsmaAzizArt1 & @beltran_sadie on Twitter & Hollow on IG: https://www.instagram.com/hollow.rt/
> 
> All respect to Shigeru Miyamoto-san, Eiji Aonuma-san, and all of the other skilled writers and original creators of the Legend of Zelda. I offer the following fan-fiction as a humble homage to your work.
> 
> All characters, places, events, and items directly related to the Legend of Zelda series are the original property of Nintendo. All original contributions made in this Fan Fiction by The Honorable Prince remain the property of the original author under The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) of 1998.
> 
> Forward:
> 
> One of the greatest joys that a parent and their child can enjoy together is the sharing of a great tale. No matter how young you are, or how old you have become, the power of the imagination can bring joy, awe, and fear to each of us. We use the tales of our people to both entertain and to teach our children important lessons. In my own youth, I can remember my mother and father telling me incredible tales of heroism, love, adventure, sacrifice, and great tragedy; all to teach me the lessons that I needed to know before I became an adult.
> 
> Many of these stories have several different versions - some affected by the passage of time and the telling by different story tellers, others affected by the different cultures that created them and passed them on. In this way, we can expect that every tale we have ever heard has been and will continue to be retold in different ways. But the base story, the lessons to be learned, remain the same.
> 
> As a young man, I left my parents' home and traveled to many different places within our world. Far to the east; over the horizon and beyond the great seas, I encountered a wise, old man who was gifted in his ability to tell great stories beside the fire. His health was failing, and he implored me to write down his "final tale." He told me that this story had been passed down to him by his father, and it was a "great legend" that had been carried within his family, out of a forgotten age.
> 
> Here follows: The Legend of Zelda: The War of Imprisonment - the tale of how evil triumphed over good and yet, against all odds, life somehow found a way to continue.

  
  
Long ago, in the distant and forgotten land of Hyrule, a great shadow began to draw over the people and their beautiful kingdom. For many years, the Hylians had enjoyed a quiet prosperity within their sheltered home. But now, the great menace from out of the faded past seemed to be returning. Crops withered, in otherwise lush valleys. Strange plagues would be found in remote villages that had little or no outside contact. And even great and terrible storms would suddenly rise up during seasons which should have been calm and peaceful.

**October 27, 249 Restored Kingdom**

It was during such a storm, in late October, on the southern face of Death Mountain's peak, that Renju had to wade through waist-deep snow to carry hay and feed to the stabled animals outside of his inn. As daylight faded into the evening, the storm grew in intensity, and hammered violently against the mountain village and its inhabitants. Confident that the animals would be safe, Renju forced his way back through the storm and retreated to the safety of his inn. Shivering from the cold, he quickly brushed the snow from his head and arms, and added several logs onto the hearth fire within.

The village of Hera stood at the feet of the Tower of Hera, atop Death Mountain in Northern Hyrule. Built many years ago, the Tower was meant to be a lookout and bastion of strength against foreign invasion. The village originally housed the tower's servants and craftsmen. But after only a few years, the garrison was abandoned and the tower passed from one nobleman to another, serving as a summer retreat or grand hunting-lodge on the mountain. Though the recent noblemen were reluctant to pay for the upkeep of such a far-flung relic, the villagers did their best to maintain its condition; keeping it well stocked with provisions and guarding it and the mountain passes against thieves and looters.

Renju, the village's innkeeper, hurriedly prepared the evening meal for his guests. Normally, his inn would be empty this time of year; with most of the hunters, miners, and shopkeepers fleeing down the mountain and far to the south before the snows came. This year, however, winter had come on early and buried the mountain paths before anyone could leave. The Innkeeper now acted as host for two dozen disgruntled men: mostly miners or mountain-hunters. Some had been very vague about their business on the mountain, and he suspected that they might be small-time brigands or outlaws, hiding from the King's men. But Renju would tolerate them as long as they paid for their keep and didn't create trouble for him.

The inn was simply built: a large rectangle of heavy oak timbers brought up from the forests at the base of the mountain, with one door facing the mountain path that entered the village from the southwest. The main floor consisted of the tavern hall: a large room filled with simple tables and chairs surrounding a stone hearth in the center. At the back corner of the room, on the left side as you entered, stood the ale bench and a few crudely carved stools. A small door behind the bench led to the kitchen and storeroom in the back of the inn. On the right-hand side, opposite the bar, a staircase carried travelers to their rooms on the second floor. Outside, on the northwest side of the inn, a stable had been built for the patron's horses and mules. Renju was nervous around the strangers' animals, but he knew his duty as the innkeeper and made sure that the mounts were well fed and watered every day.

As complete darkness fell over the mountain, Renju began lighting candles along the walls and on each of the inn's tables. Despite the cold, the orange glow gave the inn a much warmer feel. The captive residents soon made their way down from their rooms and began their evening meal. Aside from calls for more ale, or grunts of thanks to Renju, no one spoke more than a few words as the roar of the storm outside filled the hall. After their plates had been cleared and mugs refilled, the men moved their seats into a close circle around the hearth to keep warm. Some, who were traveling in company, whispered in hushed voices with their comrades about how to leave the mountain, or about the prospects for ore once spring came. Several of the others just sat and stared into the flames of the hearth, wondering if the food and ale would last until Spring. Renju, having cleared up and washed after the meal, carefully helped a very old man down the staircase and placed him near the fire on a small stool. "Good lad, thank you." the old man croaked as the innkeeper brought him a plate and mug. The others simply dismissed him after a glance; he was neither a threat nor competition, just some old man at the inn.

__

_~Late that night~_

Lightning flashed across the sky as the wind-whipped snow drew against the traveler's cloak. For several days and nights, he had wandered the broken passes of Death Mountain, seeking the way to the tower at the summit. Now, as the brutal mountain blizzard bore down on him, he spied a small light high above as the path sharply turned upward. The traveler dismounted, and led his horse forward through the storm. The cliff side was sheer, but a narrow stone path could still be found beneath the snow, climbing first one way, then the other, toward the summit. In his hand, the traveler held aloft a small crystal, faintly glowing with a red light. As he approached, the snow covering the path would melt and give way to a narrow trench. After he passed, the raging storm quickly replaced it and obscured the path once again. Shielding his eyes with his cloak, the traveler soon came upon the small village of Hera, wrapped around the base of the great stone mountain tower.

Whatever sentries the village had were sheltering within their huts, convinced no man or animal could survive in the storm outside. Thus, no one remained to challenge the newcomer as he entered and led his horse into the stable beside the inn. The snow and thunder continued to grow stronger as the traveler pushed his way through deep drifts, to the small inn's door. As the storm's wind curled around the mountain top and mercilessly threatened to lift him from his feet, the traveler struggled with the door's iron bolt - either seized or frozen in place. Inside, the men huddled around the fire could only hear the roar of the storm and the constant creaking of the inn's walls.

Suddenly, the inn's door burst open, allowing the furious storm to invade the hall. In the blink of an eye, every candle in the inn was blown out, and the hearth fire reduced to a pile of brightly glowing coals. Smoke, ash, and sparks were thrown into the air by the chaotic wind, and quickly flooded the hall, stinging eyes and choking throats.

"Close that blasted door!" bellowed Renju over the roar of the wind. In the sudden darkness, his cry had been directed toward the men surrounding the fire; but none of the gathered men obeyed, as all (save the old man) had thrown themselves down to shield the fire from the threatening wind. The traveler, invisible in the darkness, forced the door closed and bolted it despite the powerful blast outside. As the freezing air calmed and the dust settled, the men furiously threw additional wood into the hearth and coaxed new flames to life. The innkeeper, stumbling in the darkness, brought several fresh candles from under the bar, and carefully lit them in the hearth's fire. "What in the blazing underworld was that?" he asked.

In the faint light from the hearth, at the far end of the inn, the men could now make out a large, shadowy form standing just inside the door. Keeping his eyes locked on the shadow, Renju handed several of the candles to the men around him, and cautiously stepped around the hearth. The traveler's cloak and hood concealed his features well, and cast an immense shadow against the wall behind him. Hands now slipped down to daggers and clubs as the men anxiously watched the menacing shadow that had just entered their inn.

"A man?" one miner asked in a whisper. "Could be a Yeti," whispered a hunter in return, "Even they can become desperate for food in these storms." As the traveler continued to silently study the terrified men, Renju frantically tried to think of who could possibly be traveling about the village in this storm. "C-Captain? Is that you sir?" he called with a shaking voice. Perhaps something had happened, and the captain of the village's sentries had come for help. For a moment, the shadow remained silent and gave no reply, but soon began to move and grow larger. Heavy footfalls on the timbered floor echoed toward them, as the stranger drew closer. "What's your business here?! ANSWER ME!" shouted Renju, as daggers were swiftly drawn, and burning branches lifted from the fire. Shadows danced wildly around the room, as several of the men closed up and came beside Renju. "D-don't come any closer!" cried the innkeeper, "we're armed!"

The footsteps slowed, and halted a few paces from the gathered men. As the light from the hearth grew, they could make out a dark hood, cloak, and black boots on the stranger, but no face could be seen below the hood; only complete blackness. A tiny "ping" of metal rang out as a flicker of golden light leapt from the stranger, thumped against Renju's chest, and clattered to the floor before him. The men started and stepped back half a pace as the terrified innkeeper searched his chest for a wound.

"The Chestnut mare in your stable will need accommodation," came the traveler's voice, "and so will I." Holding their makeshift torches out and casting a wider light, Renju was able to spot the Hylian Guilder the traveler had flicked to him. He marveled at the rare coin as he picked it up and turned it over in his hands. Only rupees were more precious, but had become very difficult to find.

On the mountain, the common folk used silver or goods to barter with one another. Only noblemen carried gold, and even then, they very rarely spent it on the villagers. The innkeeper, more confused than ever, looked back up at the dark stranger, and asked, "Will the master be requiring anything else?" It was a bit odd, given the tension, but Renju was now afraid of angering a nobleman. After all, they had just threatened a man who barely escaped the storm outside. "A fire to warm my hands," said the traveler as he brushed the snow from his cloak and hood, "and the finest bottle of red that you have, with two glasses please." He answered.

The darkness of his shadow seemed to subside and its form shrank to match the outline of the newcomer. The men simply blinked and rubbed their eyes; it must have been a trick of the light. As Renju returned to his bar to fetch the traveler's order, the patrons sheathed their daggers, dropped their torches back into the hearth, and cautiously returned to their seats. The stranger now lightly stepped forward and, removing two smooth, black leather gloves, began to warm his hands over the fire. With the light in the hall growing steadily brighter, the men were now able to study the traveler much closer.

A fair colored, beardless chin and pointed nose could now be seen just under the hood. His hands were also fair, with long slender fingers and well-kept nails. His cloak was drawn nearly closed in front of him, but they could see that his clothes beneath were the same deep black. His boots were tall, most likely knee-high, and very highly polished. The fire's light danced and reflected off of them onto the floor.

Renju quickly returned with a large silver tray: topped with two crystal goblets and a large, dusty bottle of wine. Placing it on the table nearest the stranger, the innkeeper did his best to smile cheerfully. "Welcome to Hera!" he declared as the traveler slowly turned away from the fire and silently sat at his table. The man seemed to take no notice of Renju and gave no acknowledgement to the welcome whatsoever. With his hood still raised, the traveler uncorked the bottle of wine and poured a generous helping into the first goblet.

Unsure of what to do, Renju looked to his patrons, who shrugged and shook their heads in mutual disbelief. Determined to learn something about his newest guest; the innkeeper loudly cleared his throat, and set his hands onto his hips. The traveler paused briefly, and looked up at him. "Welcome... friend," he began, "What business brings you to the mountain?" Despite his obligation to be courteous and hospitable, Renju was still rather sore about the startling appearance of the stranger and the strange fact that he seemed to be traveling in such a suicidal storm.

"My business is my own," replied the stranger darkly, "and we are not friends, but I thank you for the offer." The innkeeper's cheerful smile faded and was replaced with an insulted scowl. "Begging the master's pardon, sir," he began through gritted teeth, "But you are a stranger here and traveling at strange times! To say nothing of the sudden fright you gave us!" "Speak for yourself!" chuckled a few of the men by the fire.

The innkeeper angrily waved at them to be quiet as he continued to stand defiantly beside the stranger. "Did I frighten you?" the stranger replied, "I am greatly distressed to hear that." His voice was cold and emotionless. He slowly turned in his seat to face Renju, and his hand toward his side, beneath the cloak. The innkeeper took a step back as the men around the fire once again darted for their weapons. A small coin-purse, a little larger than a fist, dropped onto the silver tray, spilling additional guilders. "Bread, cheese, meat, and some ale for my friends." said the stranger in a much warmer tone.

Renju stared dumbly at the small pile of gold on his tray. He had never seen such wealth within his inn before. "Now, if you please! I'm quite hungry!" the traveler pressed, slightly annoyed. "O-oh... yes, sir." he muttered, as he quickly shuffled back to his storeroom. As the stranger returned to his goblet, a long piercing whistle came from one of the men sitting by the fire.

A scrawny, lanky man rose and leaned over to get a better look at the gold on the tray. Since no one knew his real name, the men just called him "Blot" for the unsightly birthmark on his face. He was a pickpocket and sometime brigand of the mountain roads: making his living at the expense of innocent travelers and merchants. Everyone who met him despised him, but he always paid Renju for his ale and sometimes brought news from the south; so the innkeeper tolerated him as long as he was quiet.

"Blot", turning his knife around in his hand to pick his teeth, slowly stepped toward the stranger. "That's alotta gold for a fancy-lad all alone in the mountains!" he jeered, "Where'd you steal it? hmm?" From the clattering sounds in the storeroom, Renju bellowed, "Leave him be Blot! I'm not listening to your filth tonight, it's too cold!" But Blot had caught the scent of gold and would not be deterred. "Nah nah!" he returned with a disgusting snicker, pointing the dagger at the traveler, "young lad, all alone and dressed up in fancy boots, lays the king's gold here? What? You pickin' my roads are ya?! Who're you anyhow huh? With your fancy boots and your fancy words huh?"

The stranger remained calm and continued to sip at his wine, not even turning to look at the thief. "I am no one that you need concern yourself with friend. Please, sit, and enjoy the fire." he said quietly. "Friend?!" laughed Blot, "So _we's_ friends now is we?! Tell ya what, why don't you hand over them fancy boots _friend_ and I'll let you keep the gold?" As he said this, Blot motioned his dagger toward the traveler's feet. "I said leave him be Blot! or so help me!" growled the innkeeper as he made his way back into the room, carrying two large trays laden with food and drinks. Blot twisted around and shouted, "Shut it!" at him, but when he turned back to the traveler, the point of a razor-sharp long sword hovered only an inch from his eye.

In perfect silence and blinding speed, the traveler had drawn a brilliant sword from under his cloak, and risen from his chair. Blot gave a surprised gasp and leaned back away from the weapon as the traveler slowly stepped toward him. "My friends," the traveler began with a rising voice. Blot stumbled backward and fell onto the floor. "Know that I only give sound advice Blot." Dropping his dagger, the thief hurriedly shuffled backward as the traveler kept advancing, keeping his sword right to Blot's eye. "My friends," the stranger began to shout, "are wiser for the advice that I give!"

The circle of gathered men opened once more, as Blot continued to desperately scamper backward, knocking over several mugs of ale. "Oh dear! What have you done now?!" the stranger shouted mockingly, "Wasted Ale in this storm?! Now more of us have a good reason to kill you Blot!" The terrified thief now backed up right against the hearth, and leaned precariously backward over the fire. "P-p-please..." he whimpered, as the stranger roared at him: "I AM NO ONE YOU WILL CONCERN YOURSELF WITH BLOT!" The pitiful man looked right up into the stranger's face. The firelight now revealed the face of a young man, twisted and crazed. His eyes were open very wide and seemed lit by golden/orange light. His smile was wide and deranged, with menacingly bared teeth. The thief had never been more terrified in his entire life! This madman was going to either run him through or burn him alive.

Many of the other men had risen to their feet; some to enjoy Blot's humiliation with satisfaction, others were afraid they would have to pull Blot from the fire. As the thief's clothing began to smolder and smoke, the traveler, suddenly snapped to a very calm and peaceful voice and finished: "And you are not being very wise are you Blot?" Desperate for any escape at all, Blot furiously shook his head "no," with sweat dripping from his brow. "Then heed my words Blot," the traveler began again, "I am no one you will concern yourself with, now please, sit and enjoy the fire!" The traveler flicked his sword away and sheathed it again under his robes. Blot scampered quickly back to his stool, furiously patting his own clothes and whimpering at his small burns.

Renju gently set the food down as the traveler returned to his seat. Unsure of what to do, everyone in the room, save Blot, stared at the dark swordsman in silence. Completely unbothered by their stares, he began to break apart the loaf of bread and prepare his dinner. "Begging the master's pardon, but by what name may we know you sir? Travelers are rare and... suspicious things in these mountains sir." Renju tried delicately, as the traveler raised his head slightly and looked into the innkeeper's eyes. "M-m-meaning no disrespect to you sir," the innkeeper stammered, "if we knew your p-p-purpose, some here might be able to help you sir, by directions or whatever you may require." His hands shook badly as the traveler continued to stare at him. Those bright green eyes seemed to bore into his mind and search him for something.

For several minutes, the traveler studied him silently, then broke his gaze and began to eat his meal and drank his wine. He was enjoying their uncertainty, their fear. These would help him find what he was looking for. Blot continued to whimper and delicately touch the small burns on his backside. He had had enough of the dangerous stranger, a did not dare look at him again. "Pathetic man" the traveler thought to himself as he eyed Blot, "Should have been put down years ago."

Beside the pitiful sounds of Blot, only the roar of the blizzard outside and the creaking of the inn's heavy timbers could be heard. Finally convinced that he could get no information out of his newest visitor, Renju gave a deep sigh, and began to turn away. Suddenly though, the traveler made an announcement to the room: "I am called Ulric. I am looking for someone." The swordsman dropped his bread and lowered his hood, shaking loose his golden hair.

He was young, not yet 25; the innkeeper thought to himself. "W-who is the young master looking for?" he asked as he passed the fresh mugs of ale around to the men by the hearth. Several of them lifted their mugs to the traveler and nodded their heads in thanks as he lazily raised his own glass in return. "I do not know his name." Ulric answered, chewing another bite, "but I am told that he lives near the Tower."

The inn's patrons shifted and glanced at one another nervously. Everyone who made their living on the mountain lived in the village or the Tower itself. "What else can you tell us about this man, bounty hunter?" one of them asked. Ulric's ears twitched at the new title, "I seek only the man, not a bounty." He answered. He took another deep drought of his wine, and savored its flavor before continuing, "It is said, that this man is a great story teller and Lore-Master. He knows every myth and fable from the five kingdoms, and when he speaks," Ulric paused and dramatically waved his hands out in front of him, "the mind itself is carried away and shown visions of his tales." The gathering glanced at each other in a puzzled manner. Why would a rich swordsman climb Death Mountain... for a story teller? "No doubt, you seek him for your lord... eh?" croaked the old man sitting by the fire opposite from Ulric, "To amuse his children... eh?"

The swordsman lifted his tray, and moved around the hearth, to a table near the old man. "Hush now papa," whispered Renju, rushing over to the old man's side, "You're not the man he seeks. What do you know of stories?" The elder groaned as he turned himself on his stool to face Ulric and give his back a chance to warm by the fire. "Young one," he answered, "You well remember the stories I used to tell you and your sisters by the fireside."

Ulric's eyes seemed to shine brighter in the firelight. The men could now see an eager intensity as he studied the old man. The elder was old, very old, well past 80 years. The top of his head was bald, but the hair on its sides hung in white sheets down to his shoulders. His grey/white beard reached well past the sash of his dark robes. Sadly, his eyes had become frost-covered with age, and he could see little more than a foggy glow coming from the fire. One feature that stuck out to all, was his cloven right ear. In his youth, he had once borne the proud, pointed ears of a Hylian man, but at some point in his life, all but the first inch of his right ear had been cut off.

Ulric poured a generous amount of his wine into his second goblet and, approaching the old man, gently guided his hand to it. "Oh-oh, what's this?" the elder muttered as he brought the wine to his lips, "ahh, a wonderful vintage... I thank you Sir Ulric! I am honored to be served by your hand! mm-yes, wonderful vintage!" Ulric gave a light bow, as the old man reveled in the rare treat, and returned to his stool. "And h-h-how can I repay such kindness sir?" the old man questioned when his glass was half drained, "You have sought me out... you have refreshed my voice... what can I do to be of service on such a bitter night?"

Everyone continued to watch Ulric, as the innkeeper quickly moved around the room, relighting the extinguished candles. The swordsman scanned each of the men in turn, slowly studying them. None of them knew who he really was, and he did not care for who they were, only the old man concerned him now. "I have heard of your speech-craft, old man, and the skill which you tell your stories." he began as he leaned forward and softly lowered his voice, "and I wish to hear one of your tales." The innkeeper's hands shook as he lit the last few candles; constantly darting glances back at his grandfather and the strange swordsman. "O-oh! Such a treat then!" smiled the elder nervously, "What tale shall I tell? What does the young warrior wish to hear hmm? A tale of adventure perhaps? O-or maybe a story of love gained and lost hmm? That usually speaks well to most young men! Or p-perhaps, a good tragedy hmm? To suit the night?" the old man waved his hand about, signaling the storm outside as he finished.

Ulric now lowered his voice to a whisper, "I wish to hear a legend, old man." The old man furrowed his brow and his mouth hung partly open, "A... A 'legend' you say?" he stammered. Renju now returned and stood behind his grandfather, resting a hand on the old man's shoulder for comfort. The others, still gathered around the hearth, sat in captured silence, watching the strange swordsman and the old man speak. "Yes..." answered Ulric, "Tell me of... Power... of Wisdom... and of Courage!" The traveler's voice could barely be heard, but it carried a threatening firmness; He would not tolerate resistance in this request. The old man shuddered as a few of the men swiftly rose and quietly retreated to their rooms, shaking their heads.

"What you seek... is forbidden," the elder croaked, reaching up and touching his damaged ear, "such tales... are not to be spoken of in the King's realm." The innkeeper now stepped around his grandfather and placed himself between the elder and the swordsman. He folded his arms and did his best to put on a stern face, but inside, he still shook with great fear at the man before him. Ulric frowned, then retrieved a second bag of gold from under his robes and tossed it onto the floor beside the old man. A large number of guilders poured out and around their feet. The other men who had stayed, even Blot, slid their chairs backward away from the gold. Renju hurried to gather them up and return them to their purse.

At any other time, these men would have been stuck dumb at the sight of such wealth. Gold and jewels were incredibly rare on the mountain, save those taken from the mine, but those were always sent southward to the king. "W-well... I..." the old man stammered. "No one will know of this, I assure you, grandfather." Ulric soothed, "And you will come to no harm, you have my word." Having retrieved all of the coins, the innkeeper quickly held the purse out to Ulric, but slowly withdrew his arm from Ulric's glaring eye. "There is... o-one tale... a 'legend'... as you say sir," the elder began, but his grandson swiftly cut him off: "No papa! Don't!" The old man reached up with a weak smile and patted the innkeeper on the arm, "Hush now child. This knight has come for me, not for you. Be at peace."

The old man drained the rest of his wine with shaking hands, and Ulric gently refilled his glass. "Bring him whatever he desires." he muttered to the innkeeper, never taking his eyes off the elder. "There is... a 'legend'... that my grandfather taught to me when I was a very young lad. He had learned it from his grandfather before him. It is... a tale of adventure... of love... of great tragedy... and... of..." he quietly trailed off as his frosted eyes turned to look right at Ulric, "of _the three_." he finished.

Ulric, and the gathered men, sat motionless as they waited for him to continue. "It was very long ago. In a time when the great spirits of the forests, fields, and mountains still showed themselves to men. When the sun shone brighter and the world was much fairer and green. In that time, the Kingdom of Hyrule was much greater than it is now; in both power and wealth, and the four _Lesser Kingdoms_ served under Hyrule's domain. Necluda, Akkala, and Faron were all gathered together into _The Greater Kingdom_ by the royal family. The desert wastelands to the west, the 'Gerudo deserts' as they were called then, were subjugated and made to pay tribute to our King."

Ulric sat, leaned forward, with his chin on his right hand, as he listened and watched intently. "In that time... there were tales, or 'legends' of a great... g- _golden p-p-power_... hidden within the Kingdom." continued the old man, but the remaining men in the room shook their heads and covered their ears. Speaking of the "Golden Power" or of "Power, Wisdom, and Courage" together was considered taboo in the Restored Kingdom. "Many sought this power to fulfill their own desires. Some traveled on great quests to find it. Others, would use magic and divination to seek it its location, then attempt to claim it. Many left their homes and families, never to return. A few would give up their foolish search and return disappointed... but one man..." the elder now leaned close to Ulric and whispered, "One man... found that which he sought."

"The Great Thief." Ulric added. The old man raised his eyebrows in surprise, "You know of him?" he asked. "Only whispers and myths," the swordsman answered, "but not the complete story." A few moments passed in silence as the old man sipped at more wine. His nerves were badly strained, and he feared what this stranger would do to him or his family once the tale was finished. "I doubt any know 'the complete story' as you say, young master. Time has a cruel way of obscuring, burying, or blending the truth." he replied. "But you..." countered Ulric, "You know more of that truth than any living man."

The elder pressed his lips together and sucked at his teeth. In his youth, he had been quite proud to be the village lore-keeper and wiseman of the tower, but now, it seemed that his knowledge had become a curse. He tried desperately to think of any way to escape the swordsman or to send him on his way with some false fairy-tale; but the young man knew too much already, and would not be deterred. Breathing a deep sigh, the old man surrendered to his fate, and began again: "This story, is as old as Hyrule itself. Countless generations have passed in its telling... even my grandfather could not say how many years had passed since it began."

As the blizzard raged outside, the small gathering in the inn silently listened to the Old Man's tales. Despite the late hour, weariness did not seem to come, and all were carried away in the mind's eye to see the events of the forgotten past.


	2. Tales of the Forgotten Past: Chaos, The Temple, & The Spiritual Stones

**_As told by the Old Man in the inn:_ **

**_The Ancient Past, Beyond the Counting of Men_ **

Legends tell of a time long ago, when the people of the earth lived in a wondrous paradise with the Goddess Hylia. Though they were born of the earth and she of the Great Goddesses, the humans upon the earth regarded her as a beloved mother, and they were her faithful children. Together, peace and happiness filled creation and all who lived knew only joy. But one day, a deep and terrible darkness began to seep from the ground and cloud the sky against the Goddesses' beautiful sun.

For the first time, evil had entered into the world. A great arch-demon had secretly created a vast army beneath the earth and unleashed them upon Hylia and her children. A terrible and vicious war was quickly waged by darkness against the light. The Goddess herself was drawn into battle against the demon; shielding her children as they fled to safety. Though the beautiful Hylia was supremely powerful; her heart was given to love and kindness and was not well suited for the cruelty of war and battle. The demon, however, was ruthless and filled with powerful hatred.

He soon bested the goddess, and struck her down with a mortal wound. All hope seemed lost; when one man turned back from the fleeing masses and came to the Goddess' aid. Taking up her sword and claiming the power of the Triforce, the first Knight of Hylia drove the demon back and wished for its complete and utter destruction. By the power of the Great Golden Goddesses, the fearsome demon was defeated and peace returned to the world. The valiant hero embraced his beloved Goddess as she lay wounded on the blood-soaked field. Despite their tears, she promised him that she would always watch over her children and that she would always love him. Her magnificent form grew into a great white light, then slowly faded away. Whether the Goddess had indeed perished, or simply passed on to a different form, none now know.

The people took the name "Hylians" in her honor, and founded the Kingdom of Hyrule. The royal family decreed that for all time, the Hylian people would worship and remain faithful to Hylia through every joy and every sorrow that mortal life would bring. A great temple was built over the site where the Goddess had fallen, and all would come to honor and give thanks for her sacrifice. Centuries of peace would see the Kingdom slowly grow and spread over the landscape as the people prospered. But, as with all things, the dreamlike peace would not last forever.

As the Hylians spread further and further over the earth, many began to doubt the truth of the Legend of Hylia and slowly abandoned their faith. Others, who still believed the tales, became bitter and resentful at being left in a world that forced them to struggle against hunger, fear, and pain. Without their beautiful Goddess, the Hylians were made to bear the sad realities of mortal life: toiling in the fields for food, struggling against the winter's cold or summer's heat, and the horrible ravages of sickness and death. Many now turned their thoughts to the mythical Triforce, which the Goddess' knight had used to defeat the demon of the past. Surely such power could ease the Hylians' suffering. Perhaps it could even restore the immortal paradise that their ancestors had once known.

Only the Royal Family possessed knowledge of where the Goddess' knight had hidden the Triforce. They knew of the great potential the Triforce's power offered, but they also feared what would happen if it ever fell into the hands of darkness. As discontent amongst the population grew, the King desperately urged the Hylians to look to their faith and to one another, not to the Triforce. for deliverance. Despite his efforts, war soon came.

Hyrule and the surrounding lands shattered into several different factions, all seeking the power of the Triforce for their own aims. The King's Guard: The Knights of Hylia, struggled valiantly to beat back the warring clans in an attempt to keep the castle safe. But as time wore on, the casualties began to mount and the capital was soon laid under siege. Great war engines hurled boulders and flaming missiles into the city, shattering the Great Temple of Hylia and setting much of the town ablaze. The King's councilors urged him to use the power of the Triforce; to eliminate the invaders and save all who remained faithful. But the King would not use the Triforce for such a violent act. He feared that he would become a new demon of his era if he called upon the Goddesses to kill so many of his own people.

As the council debated furiously and the King grew weary, a number of shadowy spies managed to slip into castle. These intruders came from a small tribe of dark sorcerers that sought to take the Triforce and assert their power over all Hylians. Immersing themselves in the blackest magics, they had crafted several powerful artifacts which allowed them to move unseen through the shadows and strike when and where their enemies were most vulnerable. These interlopers nearly succeeded in capturing the Triforce and assassinating the royal family, but were stopped by the forces of light. When disaster had come so close to his home, the King decided that the only way to end the war, was to remove what the rebels were searching for: the Triforce itself. And so, a plan was formed to seal the Triforce away from the grasp of mortal hands.

During the war, the King's beautiful daughter, Princess Zelda, had come of age. The Royal family quickly discovered that she possessed incredible magical powers that went beyond any Hylian mage or wiseman. The King, his daughter, and the royal council gathered in the ruined sanctuary of the Great Temple. Princess Zelda, using her power, reached out and opened a small gateway to the Goddesses' "Sacred Realm." His majesty, having brought the Triforce from its hidden location, entrusted the Great Golden Power to the Sacred Realm, praying that its power be protected and hidden, for all time.

Rauru, chieftain of the King's Wisemen, brought the legendary Master Sword forward, and presented it to the Princess. Zelda used her power to bind the sword to the gateway of the Sacred Realm: commanding it to only open for one whom the sword deemed worthy to wield it. As the spell was completed and the doorway began to close, Rauru bade farewell to his King and his comrades. He selflessly volunteered to enter the Sacred Realm and act as the final line of defense against any evil that might try to claim the Triforce. As the blinding light flashed out, and the beautiful music of the Sacred Realm faded away, the Triforce was removed from the world of the Hylians.

A shadow seemed to be lifted from the hearts of the warring clans and soon peace was restored. Many had feared that by separating the Triforce from Hyrule, all life would slowly wither and pass away; but as the years passed, the Hylians began to prosper again and to forget about the Golden Power. Many, having never seen it themselves, began to doubt that it had ever existed; believing it to be a myth created by the warlords. The Princess, upon her ascension and coronation as Queen, commanded that the great temple be rebuilt and restored to its former glory. The chamber of the Sacred Sword, at the head of the temple, should also be sealed behind a great stone door.

The Queen, having secretly traveled across the land to the three sacred temples of the Great Goddesses, fashioned three beautiful stones of emerald, ruby, and sapphire. Within these, she had contained the sacred flames of the Great Goddesses from each temple. As the masons worked, Zelda poured her power into the new door and connected it to these spiritual stones. Only one who had obtained the three stones would be permitted to open the door and enter the chamber of the sword. Once their efforts were completed, the temple was renamed "The Temple of Time" and the great stone door "The Door of Time." Zelda fervently prayed that the plans they laid and the barriers they built would keep the Triforce and the Sacred Realm safe forever.


	3. Tales of the Forgotten Past: The Great Hyrulean Civil War

**_As told by the Old Man in the inn:_ **

**_Year of the Great Kingdom 597_**

Centuries of relative peace followed the construction of the Temple of Time. Small conflicts would rise and fall as the Kingdom grew larger and established dominion over a wider area of the world. Akkala, Necluda, and Faron were all gathered under the Royal Family's banner as provinces of "Greater Hyrule." These regions were inhabited by Hylians who had wandered far from the ancient kingdom and forgotten the legends of the past. Though the adjustment was not always easy, these new provinces soon accepted their inclusion into the Kingdom and became instrumental to its prosperity through trade and agriculture.

The desert wasteland to the west, however, proved to be much more resistant to the Hylian's influence. The desert was inhabited by a far-removed tribe of Hylians, who now called themselves "The Gerudo." These Gerudo had lived outside of the Goddess' realm and under the blistering sun for so long, that their skin had darkened considerably and their once proud Hylian ears had become stunted and curved. Secluded in the harsh desert, these Hylians had turned their backs upon the teachings of Hylia and began to worship "The goddess of the sand." They adopted strange rituals and even experimented with sinister magics in a vain attempt to grow powerful without Hylia's blessing.

During the chaos of the great war, the Gerudo had been the first to seek out the power of the Triforce, hoping to use it to change their desert wasteland into a fertile paradise. After the Triforce was sealed in the sacred realm, the Gerudo bitterly returned to their desert exile in defeat and struggled to survive without the Hylians' assistance. After the consolidation of "The Greater Kingdom", the Gerudo became fearful that the massive Hylian nation would soon come to claim them as well.

Indeed, the royal family and the council of wisemen viewed the Gerudo as a minor threat that needed to be addressed. Some even saw the Gerudo as the Kingdom's "lost children" who should be treated with tenderness and returned to "the family" for their own well-being. Others still held on to the bitterness of the Gerudo's involvement in the war which destroyed the Temple of Hylia and forced the sealing of the Triforce. They sought the Gerudo's subjugation or complete destruction. When the King agreed to consider force as an option and began to prepare his army for a possible conflict, a male child was born to the Gerudo tribe. Male Gerudo were exceptionally rare at that time, and Gerudo myths warned that male heirs would bring great change to the tribe if they were allowed to live.

The name of the boy's mother has been lost to time, and many even believe that he was not born of a woman at all, but created through foul sorcery. What is known, however, is that the child was raised by the twin sorceresses Koume and Kotake. They proclaimed the child's name to be: Gannondorf Dragmire, and that upon his coming of age, he should become the chieftain of the Gerudo. Many secretly opposed the child's ascension being a foregone conclusion as all Gerudo were required to prove themselves to the tribe before being granted authority or power. But the magical powers of the sorceresses were fearsome, and none would dare to speak openly against them. Gannondorf's entire youth was devoted to becoming the greatest warrior, and the greatest sorcerer the tribe had ever known. Upon his coming of age and ascension to the rank of chieftain, Gannondorf declared that the Gerudo tribe would never be subservient to the Hylian Crown. Furthermore, the Gerudo would take what they wished from the Hylians for daring to threaten their sovereignty.

So began the conflict that would spread throughout Greater Hyrule as "The Great Hyrulean Civil War." In the beginning, the Gerudo invasion focused on the lands and mountain passes immediately adjacent to their own lands. The Citadel of Aryn, a small fortress on Hyrule's western flank, build just outside of the great Gerudo Pass, was the first to fall. The house of Aryn had been a faithful servant of the Royal Family for countless generations, and eagerly volunteered to garrison the citadel to provide warning of a Gerudo incursion.

Though the warriors of Aryn fought valiantly, the entire household was massacred and the fortress destroyed by Gannondorf. Only a few messengers on horseback managed to escape and warn the Kingdom of the coming danger. Next, the Gerudo pushed into the Manhala & Taobob plains, the Dalite Forest, and even sent raiding parties as far as Satori Mountain, before the Hylians were able to meet them. For months, the Gerudo and Hylian forces clashed violently with little-to-no success. Though the Gerudo were talented warriors and Gannondorf possessed powerful magic, the Hylians were equipped with superior armor and better supplied for war.

Frustrated with the stalemate, Gannondorf now revealed his true talent. Through spies and emissaries, Gannondorf was able to secure secret meetings and seduced the provincial leaders of Necluda, Akkala, and Faron with promises of independence from Hylian rule, Kingdoms of their own, and great power. Though many distrusted Gannondorf and suspected ulterior motives, his evil power worked to tempt them into breaking with Hyrule and establishing their own realms.

While the Hylian people had treated the natives of Greater Hyrule with love and compassion, the Royal Family had refused to allow the regions' prominent leaders to join with the Royal Household and enter the line of succession for the throne. Vague allusions were made that the royal bloodline was somehow "holy" and could not be set aside or "diluted". This had stoked suspicions that the Central Hylians secretly looked down upon their cousins and considered them to be "Lesser Hylians."

The mutinous temptations became a true betrayal when the regional governors demanded that the King formally adopt their houses into the line of succession, or they would declare themselves free and independent kingdoms in their own right. The King was furious at the ultimatum, and withdrew much of his forces to put down these rebellions and to bring the traitors to justice.

Several years of brutal war followed, with much of Greater Hyrule being decimated in the process. Hylian turned against Hylian as men who had once been comrades in arms, now turned their allegiance to their home provinces and slaughtered one another even while in garrison. Though he had succeeded in destabilizing the vast kingdom, Gannondorf was never able to achieve the decisive victory on the battlefield that he sought. The reserves that the King had left at the Gerudo front shifted and maneuvered skillfully, blocking every attempt the chieftain made to break through.

After nearly a decade of butchery, Greater Hyrule was subdued and the King's authority reestablished; allowing the full weight of a battle-hardened Hylian Army to be returned and brought down upon the Gerudo. Swiftly, the Hylian Knights and heavy infantry, smashed into the Gerudo line and savagely hacked away at Gannondorf's forces. The scimitars and light arrows of the desert people could do little against the Hylian's heavy plate, and so the Gerudo were forced back toward the Gerudo Pass.

The final battle commenced in the shadow of the ruined citadel of Aryn. The landscape quickly became a scene of complete carnage as fields of mangled and burned bodies were piled high and rivers of blood covered the western hills of Hyrule. The Gerudo desperately thrashed and broke themselves against the shield-wall of the Hylians, risking everything to now protect their own lands from invasion. Gannondorf himself led charge after charge, casting deadly bolts of black magic and killing scores of the mighty Hylian soldiers.

In the end, the Gerudo were defeated, and their chieftain seized and dragged before the King. The Army Captains and Civil Counselors demanded that Gannondorf be swiftly executed on the field. Only his blood could atone for the countless lives lost and the misery brought upon Greater Hyrule. Also, by displaying his severed head on a pike to the remaining Gerudo, the King might deter them from any future action against the kingdom.

The King saw the wisdom in the arguments, and very much desired to end Gannondorf's life. But he had become a cautious leader and forced himself to control his anger and delayed Gannondorf's execution. Wrapped and shackled with heavy chains, Gannondorf was forced to kneel before the King of Hyrule and bow his head. The king demanded that if the defeated chieftain had any final words that could move the Hylians' hearts, then he should speak quickly.

Gannondorf, sharp and cunning, answered that Gerudo males were special creations of the Sand Goddess of the desert and that if any man were to kill one, he would surely bring a curse down upon his house, for all time. The Hylian host roared with laughter at this, as they did not believe in the Gerudo Sand Goddess. The King scowled darkly at Gannondorf and asked if he were certain that he had chosen his final words wisely. Seeing his options quickly fading, Gannondorf added that his birth had heralded a time of great change for the Gerudo and that Gannondorf must have _mistakenly_ believed that he was meant to overthrow the Hylians. Now, he saw the error of his ways, and knew that his purpose was to lead the Gerudo to a greater peace with the Hylians. Maybe to even return them to the teachings of Hylia.

Many today wonder if somehow Gannondorf was able to trick or bewitch the King at that moment, but none now live who could say for certain. Against the wishes of his commanders, the King of Hyrule agreed to allow Gannondorf to live. He would briefly be held prisoner in Hyrule, but he would be returned to the Gerudo after swearing and oath of fealty and obedience to the King and agreeing to provide tribute to the kingdom each year thereafter. Gannondorf was commanded to convince the Gerudo to abandon their warlike ways, and to begin adopting Hylian customs. Eager for any chance to regroup and plan his next attack, Gannondorf quickly accepted.

A few years of guarded peace passed without incident. The Gerudo seemed to abandon their warlike stance against the Hylians and even opened trade with them. The Hylians, eager to pacify their aggressive neighbors and move beyond the terrible bloodshed, welcomed the new markets and promoted open trade with the Gerudo. The King even granted special leave for a select few Gerudo traders to move about the kingdom and keep small homes in Hyrule. Gannondorf quietly did what he could to satisfy the Hylians as he realized that the only way to obtain his goal, would be from within Hyrule itself.

Gannondorf restrained his anger and concealed his powers within, keeping the Hylians comfortable and convinced their security was assured. He would spend a great deal of time within Hyrule itself, searching for signs of what he was looking for; and he needed the ability to move freely and uninterrupted. In the fourth year of peace, Gannondorf offered to return to the capitol and reaffirm his oaths to the King, as well as to personally deliver the tribute the Gerudo were preparing to send.

The King and his council were surprised by the offer, but encouraged. "Perhaps Gannondorf truly means to bring his people back into the fold." they wondered. The King's daughter, Princess Zelda, urgently pleaded with him to deny Gannondorf's request. She warned him of dark nightmares and evil omens she had experienced surrounding that man, and was certain that his presence in Hyrule would only bring ruin. The King dismissed her as a superstitious child however, and granted Gannondorf leave to approach the capital.


	4. Tales of the Forgotten Past: The Ocarina of Time & The King of Thieves

**_As told by the Old Man in the inn:_ **

**_Year of the Great Kingdom 609_ **

As Gannondorf wooed the Hylian court and bombastically reaffirmed his allegiance to the King; Princess Zelda met with a young boy named Link in her private courtyard within the castle. When their eyes met, Zelda felt a deep connection with him and a sudden confidence that he had been sent to her by destiny. She was certain that the key to saving Hyrule from Gannondorf's evil lay with Link. She quickly dispatched him on a quest to find and gather the three spiritual stones that her ancestor had created. Her goal was to obtain the Triforce before Gannondorf could discover its location, and to use its power to banish him back to his homeland forever. Zelda also revealed to Link that her ancestor had created an additional "secret key" to open the way to the sacred realm: The Ocarina of Time. Carved from an ancient blue stone and imbued with sacred power, the Ocarina possessed many strange and mystical abilities. Only one who could obtain the three spiritual stones and the Ocarina of Time, could open the Door of Time and find his way to the Sacred Realm.

The boy traveled far and wide across Greater Hyrule on several perilous adventures, facing terrible beasts of darkness and helping the inhabitants of Hyrule where ever needed. In time, the boy succeeded in collecting all three of the spiritual stones and returned to the capital to present them to Princess Zelda. As he approached the outer gate to the capital city, however, he found it closed and the drawbridge raised high - something that had not been done since the end of the Civil War. Despite the high walls, Link could hear the screams of terrified Hylians and the sounds of battle inside. Gannondorf had sprung his trap.

The sun slowly dipped below the horizon and darkness steadily filled the sky as panic began to grow inside Link's chest. All of the city's gates were closed and he could not think of any other way in. He desperately wanted to find Zelda to make sure she was safe. Suddenly, a cry from the tower-guard signaled the lowering of the drawbridge and the opening of the gates. As Link moved to rush into the city, he was met by a brilliant white stallion, charging at full speed out of the gate. The boy leapt out of the horse's path, and heard the cry of Zelda's voice calling to him to catch something. In the darkness, the deep blue Ocarina was invisible and sailed clear over Link's head and landed in the nearby moat. He heard the water splash behind him, but he kept his eyes on Zelda and her attendant as they fled into the night.

Gannondorf was not far behind. Blasting troublesome guards and townsfolk out of his way, he soon dashed through the capital city and out of the open gates. As he reached the open expanse of Hyrule's northern grasslands, a fierce rainstorm had gathered and obscured his vision. Losing all traces of the Princess, Gannondorf cried out in his fury. But soon, his eyes fell upon Link, who stood to the side of the drawbridge, near the moat's edge. The Great Thief demanded the Boy tell him something, anything about where the Princess had gone, but Link only glared at him, and drew his small sword. Gannondorf knocked him into the moat for resisting, and charged south in a desperate effort to find Princess Zelda.

Link struggled against the storm-swollen moat as he tried to swim to the water's edge. Suddenly, as if a silent voice had whispered into his ear, he knew that he should dive down and reach out his hand toward the bottom. Miraculously, in the darkness, Link recovered the Ocarina. When he reached the water's edge, and climbed back onto dry ground, he suddenly felt a powerful urge to take the Ocarina to the Temple of Time.

In a trance-like state, Link slowly walked through the city gates, across the bloodstained fountain courtyard, and on to the Temple's entrance. He neither heard, nor saw the destruction and chaos being wrought by Gannondorf's servants. As he walked deeper into the temple, the boy could hear Zelda's voice echoing in his mind: "Link... it will be up to you now! You have the spiritual stones and the Ocarina! You must protect the Triforce from Gannondorf! Place the stones on the alter at the head of the Temple and play the Song of Time... that will open the way. I will find you soon, keep Hyrule safe!" Though Link had never heard the song before, nor seen its notes written down, he knew exactly how to play the Ocarina... as if the princess herself were guiding him.

Once Link lay the three spiritual stones upon the alter and played the song of time, the emblem of the Triforce at the head of the temple began to shine brightly with a golden light. The Door of Time rumbled and slowly parted, revealing the chamber of the sacred sword. Link curiously passed the sacred alter, and climbed the steps; entering the chamber. Inside, atop a small platform of marble, proudly stood the Master Sword. It was embedded, point-down into the stonework of the floor. As if by instinct, Link reached out and grasped the sword's handle. Navi, Link's fairy companion, hovered just over his right ear, "Are you sure about this Link?" she whispered, "The princess only said to keep the Triforce safe from Gannondorf!"

Link paused and carefully studied the sword before him. The pommel, grip, and guards were the same bluish-purple as the Ocarina of Time, but its blade was a perfectly smooth, silver mirror of steel. It glimmered with a pure reflection of Link and the chamber it guarded. He couldn't be sure, but Link wondered if it was reflecting the light from the temple, or if it was faintly shining with its own light. To him, it looked almost holy standing there: the silent sentry of this sacred temple. The boy closed his eyes, and drew a deep breath as he carefully thought about what he should do. Gradually, a gentle hum rose up out of the blade and into his hands. Very faintly, Link thought he could hear a soft voice whispering to him.

"We need this sword to protect the Triforce." He said to Navi, in a firm voice. Clasping both hands firmly on the sword's grip, he pulled upward and the blade slid from the stone and came free into his hands. The boy lifted it up, amazed that he had been able to draw it; when a brilliant blue light began to glow from the floor near his feet. Link stepped back and looked down at the stone pedestal which had held the sword. The light came from the small break in the stone where the blade once stood and focused into a bright beam which struck the temple ceiling above him.

The light grew and spread across the entire chamber until the walls and stained-glass windows around him disappeared from sight. Navi, frightened of what was happening, dashed under Link's cap and gripped his blonde hair tightly. Awe-struck by the beautiful light, Link stepped a few paces forward, searching for any discernible feature in the world of light. He knew that he still stood in the chamber of the sword, as the marble stone still lay beneath his feel, but the sun's light from the windows and the sounds of the townsfolk outside had vanished. His ears twitched as he began to hear the distant sound of music. It was beautiful but unlike anything he had heard before. Like a chorus of voices singing together, but different. The sound quickly swelled as a new gateway suddenly opened before him; opposite the Door of Time. For a moment, within the light, Link thought he could see the figure of a robed man, standing within the Sacred Realm. But with a wave of his arm, the stranger cast Link into a deep sleep, and the boy slowly collapsed to the floor.

_~A Few Miles Away~_

Gannondorf had doggedly pursued the Princess and Impa through Castle Town and out into the storm-lashed Hyrule field. Though he possessed the greatest horse in the Gerudo tribe, the Princess' mount was not burdened by heavy armor, and quickly lost its pursuer in the rain. For hours the Gerudo Chieftain scoured the countryside near the Capital and the nearby ranch, but failed to locate the Princess or any sign of her passage. His rage slowly turned to anxiety as he knew he could not afford to chase her forever. His ambush had taken the King and Queen by surprise, but soon a vengeful Hylian Army would be gathered and his advantage would be lost forever. As the storm slowly weakened and drew off to the west, Gannondorf brought his mount to a halt and began debating with himself over his next move. Suddenly, a wave of great power rippled out over the countryside from the North. It was something very powerful. Something he had never felt before.

Turning back to the North, it felt like the heat from a great fire upon his face. Incredible power was now flowing outward from the Capital City. Gannondorf's eyes quickly came to rest on the spires of the Temple of Time. He had spent considerable time studying the ancient legends and myths of both the Gerudo and the Hylians. His own adopted mothers had encouraged him to seek out the "Ultimate Power" that lay in some secret location within Hyrule. Over the past few weeks, as he played the broken enemy and willing supplicant to the King, he was forced to spend time at the Hylian court. Many of the more foolish nobles had boasted freely of the legends surrounding the Temple of Time and the "great power" it allegedly held.

He now feared that his attack had panicked the Hylians into using that power. "The Princess!" Gannondorf thought, "She's doubled back! She's unlocking that power to stop me!" but he quickly dismissed this as impossible. While he had lost sight of the princess in the storm, he was certain she could not have passed him and returned to the castle. Frantically retracing her escape from the castle, he realized what had happened: "The boy! THAT BOY! He was waiting by the gate to meet her! He must have helped her escape! And now he's... he's... he's opening the temple for her!"

Cruelly, he spurred his horse back to the capital, his fear rising higher as dawn crept into the eastern sky. But Gannondorf was lucky, the Capital City was still in chaos, and few guards remained alive to restore order. His small team of Gerudo assassins had set several fires within the town, which the garrison was struggling to put out. Gannondorf easily rode through the gates and on to the temple. "I won't let that little brat stop me!" he growled as he leapt from his horse and charged through the temple's open gate.

**_Within the Sacred Realm of the Goddesses_ **

**_July 17, 609 of the Great Kingdom_ **

For centuries, Rauru, the ancient wiseman and Sage of Light, had silently maintained his vigil over the Triforce and the Sacred Realm. After completing the Temple of Light, Rauru began to prepare a small home and provisions for himself, but quickly found that there was no need for food or water within the Sacred Realm. The Goddesses' power sustained and rejuvenated all who dwelt here. As the years passed by, he spent much of his time in deep meditation and prayer; often reaching out and witnessing the turnings and happenings of his beloved Hyrule. With great effort, he could even manifest an avatar in Hyrule, and guide lost souls to the proper path.

On a peaceful day of reflection, like any other, Rauru centered his focus, and prepared to look out over Hyrule, when the gateway to the Temple of Time suddenly opened. For the first time in hundreds of years, the thrill of excitement raced through him; someone had pulled the Master Sword! The great sage rose to his feet, and approached the chamber of the sword, where a brilliant blue light flooded out from the Temple of Time. As he looked, he saw a young boy holding the Master Sword. He stared with awe-struck wonder into the brilliant glory of the Temple of Light.

The Sage was shocked to find that a child had opened the way to the Sacred Realm, alone. With a wave of his hand, the sage cast the young lad and his companion into a deep sleep and carefully drew them into his temple. "He is too young to carry the sword, or wield the power of the Gods. I must contact the others and discover what is happening in Hyrule." he thought to himself. He placed Link on the soft bed that he had prepared for himself centuries ago, and gently lay the Master Sword on the marble floor beside him. The delicate Navi was placed on Link's chest.

As Rauru gazed at him, he was puzzled that the first Hylian to ever follow him to the Sacred Realm was a child. He had expected Hylia, or perhaps the King to be the first to come for the Triforce. "Could this boy be a thief? Could he have stolen the keys to the Sacred Realm?" he wondered. But Rauru knew this was impossible. Even if a skilled thief had managed to take the Ocarina and the Spiritual Stones from the Royal Family, The Master Sword would never allow itself to be drawn by an unworthy criminal. The sword had surrendered itself to this child for a reason.

Drawing away from Link, Rauru seated himself upon the Temple's floor and prepared to commune with the other sages. They had to be told of Link's arrival and the sage greatly wondered what was happening in Hyrule. Just as their voices began to come to his mind, an icy shadow passed over his heart and the connection was lost. "Something... something is coming." Rauru muttered, slowly opening his eyes. Gannondorf passed through the Door of Time and entered the Temple of Light.

As his eyes adjusted to the bright light, a great sense of awe and wonder washed over him. The new temple seemed to be made of polished marble so pure, it reflected light like a mirror. Every surface was filled with the brilliant, dancing lights of the sacred Triforce; which hovered at eye level several paces ahead of him. As Gannondorf stared at its magnificent form, his mind was numb with disbelief. It was true, all of it. The legends, the myths, the Great Golden Power of Hyrule was here; and it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

The music of the temple and the song of the Triforce quickly flooded his heart. No longer would his people be burned by the harsh sun. No longer would they thirst, or be starved for better lands. No longer would the Hylians sit on high and deny them their rightful place in the world. As renewed greed and lust for power surged over him, his face twisted into a deranged smile, "The Hylians... I will eradicate them! And take their precious kingdom!" he cried out. Gannondorf only needed to claim the Triforce, and all of the Goddess' creation would be his. His mind raced with how he could conquer and remake the world according to his desires, as he reached forward and stepped toward the golden triangles.

Using his incredible power, Rauru suddenly appeared between the Gerudo Chieftain and the Triforce; stretching his arms out wide to bar the way. "STOP!" Boomed Rauru, "The sacred power of the Goddesses can only be wielded by one who has proven his heart to be worthy!" "Old fool" sneered Gannondorf, enraged at this obstacle, "it is said that the Triforce can be claimed by any mortal who touches it!" His eyes now drifted past Rauru and back to the hovering gold, "... and I _will_ have it!" The sage could feel the dark power that Gannondorf held, and the evil greed in his heart. "You cannot imagine the ruin you would bring to the world! Turn back and deny yourself this power!" he cried. But the thief's eyes blazed with fury and he gathered his power to strike. "I will be denied, NOTHING!" he roared.

Their battle was fierce and terrible; the greatest of Hylian and Gerudo magic clashed within the Temple of Light. Gannondorf recklessly hurled fire and destruction, while Rauru skillfully blocked and deflected every attack. All throughout, Rauru remained patient. This was his temple and his sacred charge to guard the Triforce. He would exhaust Gannondorf and drain him of his power. When the right moment came, Rauru would strike and stun the intruder, casting him back into Hyrule and closing the Gate of Time.

Gannondorf was incensed by his inability to put down this troublesome Sage. Though his pride would never allow him to admit it, he began to fear that they truly were evenly matched and that his efforts might be in vain. As his fear and impatience grew, The Gerudo became more and more destructive; smashing even the stone pillars that supported the temple's roof and cast the rubble at Rauru. But the sage was far too powerful, and used his magic to dodge about the chamber, rendering the thief's attacks useless.

The Sage of Light was unconcerned by the destruction. The temple could easily be rebuilt and the sacred Triforce could not be harmed by simple stone. But Rauru possessed a weakness that he was not aware of: in all of his years of solitude, he had never had to care for or protect another life. As he allowed Gannondorf to further destroy and destabilize his home, a large section of the temple roof began to fracture and crumble above Link. Turning and moving about the chamber, the thief soon spotted the boy laying unconscious at the far side of the temple.

As it was in ancient times, he who possessed the heart of cruelty and evil proved the more powerful in battle. Gannondorf's next blast was directed upward, toward the ceiling above Link. The boy, still unconscious, could do nothing to protect himself, and Rauru was forced to turn and focus his power into a shield to protect the boy. The falling stone shattered over the shield, and scattered onto the floor.

This was the chance Gannondorf needed. With all of his might, he struck Rauru in his ribs with a terrific blast, wounding the sage seriously and knocking him to the floor. Coughing, and holding his bleeding side, Rauru looked up in horror as Gannondorf dashed toward the Triforce. The thief reached out his hands and cried, "Power of the Goddesses, give me what I desire! Help me to conquer this world!"

As his finger-tips touched the smooth golden surface, the music of the Sacred Realm fell silent and all time stood still. The Essence of the Triforce, awakened by the mortal's touch, knew its purpose was to grant limitless power to the mortal who claimed it. But there was something within this mortal. Something from the past. Something that should not be.


	5. Prologue Concluded: The Breaking of Time

**Near Midnight, October 27, 249 Restored Kingdom**

"In an age before recorded time, the Goddess Hylia and her beloved knight had battled the greatest evil to walk the Earth. Demise, the Arch-Demon of the underworld, had coveted the Power of Gold and attempted to take it by force. That heroic knight had been the only mortal to ever wield the Triforce. His wish had been for the Triforce to destroy Demise utterly, which it had done. Yet here, within this mortal: Gannondorf, festered the lingering power and hatred of the Demon King. Here, somehow, Demise still existed. As time stood still, the Triforce was brought into conflict with itself: To obey the Goddesses' command, the Triforce had to surrender its power to Gannondorf; the mortal who claimed it. Yet, the presence of Demise's essence left the knight's wish unfulfilled. Gannondorf had to be destroyed to fulfill its first holder's command; but the Triforce could not kill its own master." Explained the Elder.

"The perfect disaster..." whispered Ulric. "Y-yes, you are absolutely right." chuckled the old man. "The power of the Goddesses: confused and unable to satisfy its law. It is a very dangerous thing to imagine." Ulric sat up in his chair, and folded his arms in front of his chest, "So what happened? How did the Golden Power decide what to do?" "Ahh... that is difficult to answer Master Ulric. What is known, is that the Triforce's power goes beyond the understanding of mortals. Even the Goddess Hylia herself could not see all things the Triforce was capable of. Only the power of the Great Goddesses of Gold could over-match that of the Triforce." the old man replied, "What is not known, is what would happen if the Triforce was ever brought into conflict with itself. If some paradox were created that the Triforce could not satisfy, what would happen to Hyrule or its people? I am afraid no mortal man knows the answer to this question, Master Ulric."

Ulric remained silent, but his eyes narrowed to a suspicious look. He sensed the old man was hiding something; some small detail that he didn't want to reveal. The tension in the room quickly rose as Ulric continued to glare at the old man, who now shuddered and shrank from the swordsman's fierce gaze. Renju, who busied himself cleaning the inn tables while he listened to his grandfather's tale, now quietly working his way behind Ulric and grasped a large knife he kept under his apron.

He could still remember the day the King's advisor had accused his grandfather of spreading heresy and commanded that his ear be taken as punishment. The anger that smoldered inside of him, blazed with renewed fury when Ulric asked for the forbidden tales. He would not allow this stranger to threaten his grandfather's well-being. The innkeeper slowly began to wipe down the table behind Ulric and silently worked himself to within an arm's reach of his back. He released the rag, and slowly raised the knife; tensing himself to strike. "I will stab him through the back of the neck, killing him instantly." Renju reasoned, "It will be a quick death, without a struggle!" Just as the innkeeper began to hold his breath to attack, Ulric suddenly shouted, "So! Life carried on!" and slapped his hands upon his lap.

The entire room jumped at Ulric's sudden exclamation. Renju, in the moment of shock, expected Ulric to whirl around with that brilliant sword and slice off his head. He stumbled backward into another table, and crashed onto the floor. The swordsman slowly turned around on his seat to smile at the embarrassed innkeeper. "Y-y-your pardon Master Ulric, you startled me sir!" Renju babbled as he quickly scrambled to his feet and straightened the table and chairs he had knocked over. "Oh, I am full of surprises Master Renju! Don't ever forget that!" Ulric jeered as he tossed Renju's knife to him.

The innkeeper caught it, and stared down at the knife in his hands in complete bewilderment. How had the stranger gotten hold of his knife? A sudden bolt of fear shot through his heart as he looked up to see Ulric smiling broadly at him. "How does he know my name?!" the innkeeper wondered. The swordsman's smile only widened at Renju's shock. He was immensely pleased with himself, and continued to sip and savor every ounce of their fear. "Now, why don't the rest of you head to bed hmm? This old tortoise and I have much more to discuss and I'm sure you are all becoming very tired."

The men around the hearth silently set their mugs on the floor and trudged their way upstairs without hesitation. The innkeeper was overcome with a panicked desire to obey; to flee upstairs and not be near the stranger. But a small flicker of courage reminded him of his Papa. He could not leave him, helpless and afraid of this dangerous swordsman. Ulric's smile faded into a stern frown as Renju hesitated and remained rooted in place. He turned back to the old man to find him leaning back on his stool with his arms half-raised to shield himself. The elder was breathing very hard now and his clouded eyes darted back and forth, desperately trying to see the coming attack. The traveler carefully considered his options. He had still not found what he was looking for and if the old man had a sudden attack; the knowledge he needed would be lost forever. With a deep sigh, Ulric commanded Renju to sit beside his grandfather... "If only to keep him steady." he finished, muttering under his breath.

The innkeeper returned his knife to its sheath and brought a chair to sit beside his grandfather. The poor old man was badly shaken and quickly grasped at Renju's tunic. The innkeeper reached over and placed his arm around his grandfather, "Shh, it's ok papa. I just tripped over a chair. It's ok now, there is nothing to worry about." The elder was relieved that his grandson was alright, but the old man could sense the venom building in Ulric's voice. With every delay and interruption, the swordsman drew closer to violence. "I-I'm sorry my boy..." he whimpered to his grandson, "I should never have brought this upon you." "Shh, hush now papa! It will be ok!" Renju soothed as he gently squeezed his grandfather's shoulder, "All will be well."

Ulric watched all of this with complete apathy. He needed the elder's information and the old man had to live long enough to give it to him. "So, Old Tortoise," Ulric began again, "How did the Triforce decide?" The old man shivered at the nickname, "N-none know, M-master Ulric. The thief obtained the Golden Power, and began the invasion. That is all that is written." "But WHY?!" shouted the traveler, "How did the Triforce solve its confusion?!" Ulric's eyes were wide and fierce with a threatening madness.

Though the elder could not see Ulric's face clearly, he could feel the grip of his grandson's hand on his shoulder. "N-none know, g-good sir," he stammered, but as Ulric angrily drew breath through gritted teeth, he quickly added, "P-perhaps the command of the Goddess outweighs the command of a mortal master?" The traveler fell silent and considered this theory. It was absurd of course. The Triforce's command to obey its mortal masters came directly from the Golden Goddesses; so, one command could not supersede another. Likewise, the command to never kill its own master, lest it be the master's direct wish to be killed, also came from the Goddesses.

The swordsman drew a long, deep breath, and slowly exhaled. "Well... it matters not," he began, returning to his soft non-threatening voice, "the great thief obtained the Golden Power." The frightened old man, still clinging to his grandson, just stared at the blurred form of Ulric in silence. "Continue, please" Ulric requested with another smile, "I wish to hear more of this legend."


	6. The Downfall Timeline: As Commanded By the Goddesses

**_July 17, 609 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 1_ **

**_Within the Sacred Realm_ **

As commanded by the Goddesses, the Triforce surrendered itself to the mortal who claimed it. At once, Gannondorf's body was shrouded in darkness, as his form began to twist and grow with his new power. Rauru, horrified by the sight of Gannondorf's victory, used what remained of his strength to throw Link, Navi, and the Master Sword back through the Door of Time. "We must trap him here!" he desperately thought, as he commanded the door to close. The holy light of the temple quickly faded into complete darkness as the entire sacred realm became flooded with Gannondorf's evil soul.

When the sage turned back to his enemy, he was terrified at what he beheld. The Gerudo's body had now grown to an immense size and remained completely hidden behind a curtain of blackness. Flames now burned about his feet and offered the only light by which to see his silhouette. Ganon, the Demon King reborn, now turned and stepped down from the Sacred Dais. " **Now, all shall serve!** " he cackled. His voice had become deep and venomous, and brought pain to all to who heard it.

Seeing the Door of Time closing, Ganon looked down at the wounded Rauru. His rule over creation would begin by crushing any resistance left within this sage. The monster raised his claw and summoned a massive silver trident. The Sage of Light slowly raised his shaking, blood-covered hands and quickly prepared a spell. Ganon braced for the attack, gathering his own power; first to block, then to attack.

A flash of white light and a flutter of wings erupted from Rauru's hands and shot past the Demon King; dashing through the Door of Time just as it closed. Ganon now drove his trident through Rauru's heart, " **Come now little sage... You shall be the first to serve your new god!** " The demon poured his evil power into Rauru's body, enslaving his mind and twisting him into a new champion of evil. " **Go forth Agahnim, and claim this 'Sacred Realm' for your master!** " the beast commanded triumphantly. "Yes...my lord..." droned Agahnim as the corrupted wizard turned away.

Ganon now turned back to face the Door of Time. All around him he could feel the sacred realm submitting to his will. His evil spirit filled every corner of it; corrupting it utterly. Now, absolute victory would be his. Raising his claw, he commanded the Door of Time to open. A slight tremor rippled through the door and its frame, but it did not move. The sacred door had been created by Rauru and the Goddess Hylia; designing it to only open for the one who could draw the Master Sword from the Pedestal of Time. The Sage of Light was granted power to close the door, to protect the Triforce, but only the one who had drawn the sword could command the Door to open again.

Ganon's claw clenched into a shaking fist as his strength now began to strain against the power of Hylia. Small cracks quickly formed in the stone framework surrounding the door; and in the tile beneath Ganon's feet. Still the door would not yield. The demon's fury increased ten-fold; he now possessed the greatest power in existence! He would not be denied! With a shattering roar, Ganon called upon the power of the Triforce, which now shone out brilliantly from the back of his right hand.

A cataclysmic blast obliterated the back wall of the Temple of Light. Beyond, Ganon had expected to find the Chamber of the Sword and the Temple of Time. But only the churning maelstrom of his Dark World could be seen. As the cloud of dust settled, the defiant Door of Time still stood within its fractured frame: the only portion of the wall that did not collapse. Ganon would have to break the door open himself.

With another furious roar, Ganon lifted his trident with both claws and struck the Door at its center, cracking it and sending tremors through the sacred realm. Again, and again, he unleashed his furious rage against Hylia's Gate as the power of the Triforce burned brighter and brighter in his hand. With each blow, the cracks steadily widened and small fragments of stone fell at his feet. The last marble pillars shivered and collapsed, destroying what remained of the Temple of Light behind him, but he took no notice.

**_Within the Temple of Time_ **

"Link wake up! Please wake up! Something is happening!" squeaked Navi frantically. Her urgent pleas drifted through Link's clouded dreams, and slowly brought him to consciousness. A dull pain rolled through his head and his eyes stung at the light around him. "W-where are we?" he groaned. "Get up! Get up! We have to go NOW!" shouted Navi, as she flew rapid circles around his cap. Sitting up and looking around himself, Link found the familiar walls and stained-glass windows of the Temple of Time. He lay against the alter of the spiritual stones, with the Master Sword beside him, just outside of the Door of Time; which was now closed. "I-I don't understand..." he began, when a sudden, echoing roar tore through the temple; followed by a powerful quake that shook the marble foundation and cracked the temple roof. "Get the sword and run!" screeched Navi, who turned away and flew for the gate.

Link quickly grabbed the Master Sword and lifted it. It was much too large and unwieldy for him to use properly, but he was amazed at how light it felt in his hands. Another menacing rumble sent him turning and running after Navi toward the gate. "The Stones! Don't leave the Stones!" she called back to him. Link skidded to a halt and doubled-back. He quickly tucked the Master Sword underneath one arm and grabbed each of the spiritual stones, dropping them into his pack. A third roar, much louder and closer to the chamber, followed by a very violent quake ripped through the temple as the Door of Time fractured and groaned.

Black smoke began to hiss through the cracks and flood outward, covering the door's threshold and quickly enveloping the alter. The light from the windows began to dim and the sanctuary grew cold. "Something Evil is coming! RUN LINK!" Screamed Navi. For a moment, Link could not move. The cold shadow that flooded outward and around him seemed to curl around his ankles and grip at his feet. An unfamiliar and terrifying new will appeared in his mind: forcing him to remain still and stare at the weakening door. Link's already anxious mind began to slide into a depth of terror. Only moments before, he had opened that door and claimed the Master Sword. He was going to get the Triforce before Gannondorf and save the kingdom. Now he was back in the Temple of Time and something evil was breaking through. "W-what is happening?" the boy mumbled, as that dark will slowly took control of his mind.

With a sudden explosion, a great silver trident shattered its way through the center of the door. Stone fragments and large pieces of rubble were blasted in every direction as a fresh torrent of black smoke now poured into the temple like a great wave. Link's body, shaking with adrenaline, urged him to flee, but his mind was quickly falling into a numb fog and barely able to think. He seemed to be captured, or bound: able to feel everything within his body, but unable to command it to move or to run. Terror soon grabbed at his heart as the trident withdrew and two great burning eyes stared out of the darkness at him. **"...BOY..."** a deep, booming voice echoed through the temple.

Link had never felt fear this strong. The eyes quickly locked with his own and seemed to shatter through every barrier within his mind. The fiery darkness filling the temple commanded him to remain where he stood; to wait patiently for his master. The boy's heart pounded furiously against his chest as he struggled pitifully to think of what he should do. But in seconds. his entire body began to go limp and his arm began to loosen its hold on the Master Sword.

Navi streaked in front of him and pulled at a lock of his hair, "Don't look into his eyes Link! Just RUN!" she cried. The little warrior could barely hear her voice. It was very far away and sounded like a confused echo; but her brilliant blue light, cutting between him and the eyes in the darkness, managed to pierce the fog that invaded his mind. He slowly turned his eyes to look at her. She was shouting something at him, with small tears streaking down her face. "Navi doesn't yell... Navi doesn't cry... what is wrong?" Link wondered dumbly. His mind struggled to form thoughts as the dark shadow cruelly resisted the fairy's light.

As the boy continued to stand, lost within the temple; Ganon returned to his attack against the weakening doorway. Another quake, and explosion of stone; but now Link felt something against his side. Something hard had been pressed against his ribs, but now it was sliding down the outside of his tunic, falling to the floor. Curious, he cupped his hand and moved his arm slightly to catch it, just as the handle of the Master Sword fell within reach.

For a moment, the grip felt incredibly hot on his skin, but with a rapid shudder and flash of white light within his mind, the boy was freed from his prison. As if awakened by a splash of freezing water, Link suddenly gasped and staggered backward, holding the Master Sword tightly in one hand. "Run! NOW! Don't think just RUN!" shrieked Navi as she pulled Link's hair toward the gate. He turned without looking back, and ran as fast as he could through the temple gate and out into the capitol city. With a triumphant roar and two thunderous crashes, Ganon finally threw down the ruined Door of Time.


	7. Escape in the Night

**_Late in the evening, July 16, 609 GK_ **

**_Within Hyrule Castle_ **

_~Several hours earlier~_

Retiring to her room near the royal quarters, Impa longed for her soft bed and a good night's rest. The castle had become very busy with visiting dignitaries, government officers, and of course, Gannondorf's entourage. Impa and the royal guard had been stretched to the limit escorting and managing all of the King's guests while still keeping a watchful eye over the foreigners. Gannondorf had shown uncharacteristic courtesy by seeking the King's permission before returning to Hyrule, but he failed to mention that he would be bringing along his "Tribal Escort."

At least a dozen Gerudo warriors accompanied their chieftain as he entered the capitol city and presented the annual tribute to the King. Their weapons were removed by the royal guard, but Impa knew these women did not need swords to kill. For the last few weeks, Impa and the Lord-Marshal of Hyrule had carefully rotated patrols, assigned escorts, and closed off several sections of the castle to maintain the highest level of security for his majesty and the royal family. But the extra effort was slowly exhausting the guards and security began to weaken. The sheikah knew that they would be unable to keep these efforts up for much longer, and began to consider requesting an audience with the king. In her opinion, Gannondorf was intentionally delaying his departure, and slowly prodding at the Hylians for signs of weakness.

On several occasions, the Gerudo warriors were found 'lost' inside the castle without their escorts. While they remained unarmed, the castle guard would remain courteous, but firmly return them to the guest quarters. The women offered no resistance or trouble, but always viewed the Hylian guards with contempt. More recently however, a few of the Gerudo had turned up in much deeper, more remote sections of the castle: The larder, the King's dungeon, the scribe's office, and even the Princess' study.

This last intrusion alarmed Impa greatly as the Princess was her personal ward. She could not tolerate any risks with Zelda's safety whatsoever. Gannondorf, for his own part, respected the Hylian's boundaries and confined himself to the guest quarters and the courtyard. Occasionally, he would be granted permission to ride out and tour the near-lands around the capitol. "We have no lush fields or forests as you have, Hylian." He would explain to his guard, "It is a rare treat for a Gerudo to behold such things." Despite his words, however, Gannondorf never seemed to take an interest in Hyrule's forests or fields. He was studying the oldest buildings in the capitol, the stonework of the outer wall, and any of the small ruins scattered nearby.

Impa lit several large candles and closed the door to her room. As she loosened the straps on her gauntlets, she made her decision: tomorrow she would humbly request that the King dismiss Gannondorf and send him back to the desert. The strain on the guards and the small security breaches had proven to her that the Gerudo were still interested in locating Hylian weaknesses, and she did not want such a malicious group so close to the princess. As Impa began to loosen her second gauntlet, she noticed that the light in her room began to flicker wildly. A sudden, sharp breeze had entered in through her window and nearly extinguished her candles.

A moment later, an violent explosion rocked through the royal quarter. Sprawled upon the floor, with a trickle of blood flowing down her brow, Impa choked and coughed in the dust filled air. Her head was swimming and her hands shook as she struggled to get back onto her feet. Shouts and cries for help echoed through the stone hallway, forcing her to focus. "The Princess!" she realized with a shock, and quickly struggled down the corridor toward the Princess' room.

Acrid smoke and dust made sight impossible as the sheikah groped her way forward. Drawing her katana, she rapped her remaining gauntlet against the stone wall. Swiftly closing her eyes and focusing all of her power, she listened intently to the sound's echo. There was nothing behind her, and only broken stonework ahead. She pushed forward, pausing every few minutes to repeat the process and check her surroundings. She found Princess Zelda in her bedroom, crouching behind her bed.

"Come! We must go at once!" Impa commanded. "My parents! Are they alright?" the princess cried in return. The smoke, dust, and damage to the stonework had steadily worsened as Impa approached the Royal Quarters. She now feared what lay beyond the Princess' room. "We cannot concern ourselves with that now Princess, we must get you to safety!" Impa replied. Swiftly she grabbed a dark traveling cloak from Zelda's ruined wardrobe and moved to conceal the girl beneath it. "Stand still," she whispered, "I cannot see you clearly." But as the sheikah moved to place the cloak upon her, Zelda suddenly cried out, "Daddy!" and dashed from the room into the hall. "Princess, NO!" shouted Impa as she dropped the cloak and chased after her.

Even in the darkness, Zelda knew the way to her parent's room. As a young child, she could sometimes hear her mother gently singing to her father when the responsibilities of the crown wore down on him. Zelda would slip silently down the hall, and enter their room, clutching a doll or small blanket. His majesty would scold her playfully for being out of bed, but he would always lift her up into a tight embrace, and the queen would sing to both of them until Zelda fell asleep in his arms.

Now, Zelda stumbled over the ruined doors to the King's Chamber and landed on a pile of shattered stones. Impa quickly raced up behind her and dove upon the child, lifting her up. "We cannot be here Princess! We have to-" but a weak cough in the dust-filled darkness stopped her short. "Mama?" Zelda whimpered as she tore free from her warden and began to frantically search the floor in front of them. The sheikah's heart clenched hard, knowing what likely lay in the dust before them. "Is there a chance? Is there _time_?!" She wondered frantically. Swiftly, she struck her gauntlet against the ruined frame of the doorway beside her and listened closely. Something... an unfamiliar echo returned from the way they had come.

Directly across the room from them, a great gaping hole now overlooked the central courtyard of the castle. The King's bed was completely gone and much of the stone ceiling had collapsed downward into the room. Zelda found her mother pinned under a massive block of stone, near the center of the room. Only her head, shoulder, and right arm were exposed. His majesty's crown lay nearby, beside another pile of rubble, cruelly bent and covered in blood. Seeing the large pool of blood slowly seeping out from under the stones, Impa knew it would be useless to search for the King.

The breeze from the opened wall had now cleared the air enough to see the princess kneeling beside her mother. "Mama... mama it's me... Zelda." the princess sobbed as she gently cradled her mother's hand. The queen's eyes fluttered and slowly half-opened. "Im....Im...pa." she weakly whispered. "I am here, your majesty." The sheikah quickly answered, kneeling beside the queen. "K-k-king.... stud...y." the queen choked out. "I understand, your majesty." Impa again, quickly replied. Her breath gone; the queen struggled to mouth one more word: "Lake" to her. "I will... you have my word!" promised Impa, "Farewell, my queen." Zelda sobbed harder and begged her mother not to die. The queen lifted her arm, and very gently touched Zelda's cheek. "My love..." she mouthed to her daughter. Zelda kissed her hand, and held it against her face as the queen's eyes slowly lost focus and faded.

Impa's heart was overflowing with pain for the child's loss, but there was no time to mourn. The castle had been attacked and she was certain someone had been trying to reach the Princess' room behind them. Seizing Zelda's hand with an iron grip, Impa tore her away from her mother's body and dashed back into the corridor. Just past the King's Chambers, stood the King's Study: a small room with a private bookcase and desk. The king rarely used it, but it was forbidden for anyone, save the king or queen, from entering the room.

Finding the door locked, the sheikah matron stood back and delivered a powerful kick, shattering the latch and opening the door. Zelda, still in shock, was made to stand just inside the small room as Impa frantically searched its walls for something. "W-what are you d-doing?" the princess mumbled. "We must be silent!" her guardian hissed sternly as she pressed the lock-stone and opened the hidden door behind the bookcase. As she turned back to the princess, a hand suddenly reached out from the open doorway, and grabbed Zelda by the throat.

Impa snapped into her combat stance, as the princess gave a small, terrified whimper at the scimitar held to her cheek. The Gerudo assassin had silently followed them since the girl's cry to her parents and waited for Impa to release her. The woman now pulled her tightly against her body as she slowly backed toward the corridor. "Be silent child, or you will end up like your parents." She threatened with a heavy accent. "I will only give you one chance to release the princess!" warned Impa as she cautiously followed the assassin toward the doorway. With much of the assassin's hidden by the princess, the Gerudo knew that Impa had no opening to attack from. "You would not dare to risk the child _sheikah_!" she hissed as she continued to back slowly through the doorway and into the corridor.

Zelda suddenly felt the Gerudo's hand clench hard and then spasm on her neck, as a disgusting gurgling sound escaped her lips. Impa dashed forward and tore her away from the assassin's body as it sank to the floor. A bright Hylian longsword stuck cruelly through both sides of her neck. From the darkness, came the deep voice of a man, "You should have listened to the Lady, Gerudo-scum, I would not have offered you mercy." After a moment, he spoke again, "My Lady, are you well?"

Stepping forward and tearing his sword free, the Captain of the King's Knights: The Lord-Marshal of Hyrule, bowed his head to Princess Zelda. "The King and Queen are dead," Impa answered quickly, "I am taking Zelda to safety." The knight nodded and replied, "My men are securing the castle, but there has been no sign of Gannondorf. Beware of him!" The sheikah quickly pushed Zelda toward the secret corridor behind the bookcase, as the knight returned to the shattered hallway. "Defend the kingdom Marshal! I shall send word when I can!" She shouted back to him as she pulled the bookcase closed behind her. The knight simply answered, "My Lady." and rushed back to his men.

The pair ran as fast as they dared in the darkness, keeping one hand on the stone wall beside them as they went. After nearly a hundred paces from the bookcase, they found themselves at the top of a spiraling staircase. The princess had never seen this passage before and fearfully clung to her guardian's arm. "It will be alright child." She soothed, as Impa led the princess further down into the darkness. The sheikah had been shown this escape route only once by his majesty, when she was first taken on as the princess' caretaker.

The stairs descended into another small chamber with a passage that lead to the castle stables. There they would take the princess' horse and flee to Lake Hylia. With any luck, the Marshal and his men could keep Gannondorf occupied long enough for them to escape. When they reached the bottom of the staircase, Impa quickly moved toward the second passage. "Wait Impa!" The princess urged, "Do you hear that?" The matron froze and focused her ears, but she heard nothing. "That song..." Zelda murmured as she began to look around the small room. "We don't have time princess! We must go!" argued Impa and again reached for Zelda's hand. "There is something here!" the princess replied, "I've heard that song before..." her voice was strangely adamant, so the sheikah quickly retrieved a small stone from a small pouch on her belt, and gently breathed upon it.

The stone's soft blue glow quickly filled the room, as Zelda searched behind the staircase for what she was hearing. A tiny iron-bound chest had been carefully hidden behind the lowest steps. Upon its lid, was carved the royal family's seal. "This was my mother's..." Zelda whispered as she began to run her hands over the design. A faint yellow glow rippled around the lid's edge, and a soft click from the lock could be heard.

Holding her luminous stone higher for a better view, Impa knelt beside the princess and wondered at the small hidden chest. Zelda carefully lifted the lid and opened it. A small bundle, wrapped in a very old, white cloth, lay in the center of the chest. The princess delicately lifted it out and unwrapped it in her lap. The cloth was very frail and threadbare, but she could still make out the faint outline of the Royal Family's crest in blue. As the cloth unfolded, a brilliant, stone ocarina slipped out and dropped into Zelda's hand. Impa let out a small gasp, "Its... the Ocarina... it was here?" The princess marveled at the deep violet-blue color of the instrument and golden band around the mouthpiece. Her mother had told her of the Ocarina when she was little, but she had no idea where it was hidden within the castle.

Impa was brought back to her senses, when a sudden, echoing crash came from the top of the staircase above them. "Come princess!" she commanded as she grabbed Zelda's arm and pulled her as fast as she could run toward the royal stables. Just as her luminous stone's magic faded, the two women came upon a heavy wooden door. Footsteps and harsh cries now reached the bottom of the staircase behind them. "I will go first," Impa began quickly, "follow closely, stay low, and whatever happens... _get on the horse and ride_!" the princess quickly nodded that she understood, but her eyes were wide with great fear. She gripped the ocarina tightly in her hand, "He cannot be allowed to find it!" she desperately thought to herself.

Impa, holding her katana close, burst through the door and charged forward with Zelda following close behind. Fortunately, the stables were deserted, and several of the king's horses remained in their stalls. The princess' own Camarillo stood nearby, already outfit with saddle and bridle. "Stop them! Stop them! LORD GANNONDORF!" came the angry shouts of Gerudo pursuers from the escape tunnel. The sheikah quickly sheathed her sword, leapt upon the white stallion, and pulled the princess up behind her. Arrows whizzed past them as Impa turned the corner in the castle courtyard, and charged for the main gate.

The castle's heavy bronze bells were now tolling and several brass trumpets called upon every soldier to crush the Gerudo incursion. Archers, swordsmen, and knights dashed to and fro; some carrying wounded and others hunting for Gannondorf's assassins. Fortunately, the castle gate was still controlled by the Hylians, who quickly heaved the heavy doors open and allowed Impa to pass. "Close it behind us!" she cried as she and the princess dashed off into the night, toward the capitol city.

The Marshal, after leaving her and the princess, had secured the royal armory and ordered the entire garrison mobilized. "I want every man, capable of carrying a weapon, to hunt down these filthy Gerudo and eliminate them immediately!" he bellowed as he met his Lieutenant rushing in from the knights' barracks. "I've already given the orders my lord!" the man replied, as he fell in beside his master. After Impa had fled through the castle gates, the Marshal began to organize his men: "All of the foot-soldiers and archers shall remain here to secure the castle and the capitol city. Our mounted knights will form up and ride to the princess' aid." "Where is the princess? And what of the King and Queen?" the men urgently asked.


	8. Hope Fades

**_Dawn, July 17, 609 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 1_ **

**_At Hyrule Castle_ **

Through the rest of the night, the Marshal and his men diligently searched Hyrule Castle, cornering several of Gannondorf's followers. Hopelessly outnumbered, the Gerudo refused to be taken alive and continued to fight to the bitter end. As a heavy rainstorm poured down on the courtyard, the Marshal met with his captains to assess their situation. Reports from some of the wounded, brought in from the Capitol City, confirmed that Gannondorf had fought his way out in the chaos and chased Impa passed Lon Lon Ranch. The men believed that Impa had managed to lose him.

"The castle is now secure and our Princess needs our help!" shouted the Marshal, "Gather our knights! Call for the militia! We're going after Gannondorf!" Within minutes, as the storm cleared over the castle and the moon rose high into the night sky, riders sped out to every corner of the kingdom. At every town, village, and hamlet their paths took them to, they would sound their trumpets and cry out, "The King is dead! Princess Zelda has fled into hiding! All sons of Hyrule, take up arms and defend your kingdom!" The messenger would then hand the muster orders to the nearest citizen, and ride on to the next town; until reaching the extreme edges of the kingdom.

By dawn, the Marshall had managed to gather and outfit a small company of his knights. Heavily armed and equipped with the finest armor in the kingdom, they were the elite of the King's army. "We are out of time; we cannot wait any longer! The rest of you, muster the Army and defend the Capitol! We will send further orders when we can." He cried as they mounted their horses and made for the Castle's gates. As the column rode through, a violent earthquake rocked the landscape and an echoing _BOOM_ rolled up from the south. "Goddess Save Us!" murmured the Marshall as be spurred his horse to a gallop toward the city road.

**_In the Capitol Square_ **

Turning the corner and sprinting into the fountain courtyard of the town, Link passed bewildered townsfolk who now starred in horror at the black fog that flooded out from the Temple of Time. It quickly swelled and rose higher, enveloping much of the temple structure and the grounds surrounding it. Harsh cries and strange growls soon came from unseen creatures within the shadow as it washed over the nearest shops and moved to consume the entire town.

The company of knights rode in from the castle road and turned to meet this strange threat. "All women and children to your homes! All men, take up arms!" Cried the Marshal, drawing his sword. His eyes quickly scanned the crowd, "that sorcerer is here somewhere", he angrily thought to himself. But as he searched, his eyes fell upon Link; standing behind the city fountain and clutching a brilliant sword. For a moment, the warrior simply saw a lost child, and hoped that his parents would find him and pull him to safety. But once he noticed the sword, the Marshal could not resist the dread that came into his heart.

"That sword... I have seen it before... in tapestries within the castle. It cannot be!" he thought, "if the sword has been drawn then that means..." The great knight turned his eyes back to the menacing cloud and the tall spires of the temple that still stood in the light. He had always heard the tales at court of the Golden Power, of the Sacred Realm, and of the mythical "Master Sword" that guarded the way. He had always believed these were just stories, told to inspire the people and give some kind of example for his men to live up to.

As the cloud swept out over the entire town, many townsfolk ran screaming for the city gates and out over Hyrule's fields. But a small band of brave men took up staves or daggers and fell in behind the Marshal's knights. Complete darkness drew over the capitol and at once, the men began to feel its effect: weapons became heavy and hands shook with sudden weakness. It was more than a shadow, it brought sickness and fear.

The Marshal shook his head, and strained his eyes into the blackness. "Steel yourselves men! Don't let some trickster's magic get the best of you!" he shouted, though it took great effort for him to say it in a firm voice. Soon, points of orange light began to appear near the temple way and move quickly down the steps toward the square. The first few quickly multiplied into a menacing orange glow in the darkness. The rhythmic tramp of feet on stone and the ring of steel warned of the coming attack. "Stand Ready!" Cried the Marshal, "Here they come!"

Link crouched behind the square's fountain, watching as a swarm of burning arrows shot out of the darkness and struck the mounted knights. Many lifted their shields and deflected the deadly bolts, but several of the knights' horses screamed and collapsed to the ground. Then the first wave emerged from the shadow and came into view. They were vicious looking creatures: heavily built and in the form of men, but their faces were twisted into that of wild boars and their hands were cruelly strong claws. They carried swords, axes, and spears, and seemed to give no regard to their own safety as they threw themselves against the Hylian host. The Marshal roared, "For the Goddess!" and charged directly into them, slashing and stabbing as many as he could, crying to his men to follow.

At first, the battle seemed to go well. The heavy plate armor of the knights easily turned sword and spear, and the hideous creatures were either killed or driven back to the temple gates. The men cheered as fear seemed to fade before the prospect of a quick victory. But when the vanguard approached the doors to the Temple of Time, a new figure appeared from inside. A tall man, with his face hidden behind an emerald scarf and low hood.

He stepped into the open and raised both hands above his head, palms toward the knights. The Marshal rode right up to him and lifted his sword to strike. A bright flash stung Link's eyes as great bolts of lightning broke through the ranks of Hyrule's finest knights. Many fell dead including the gallant Marshal. "Tremble you pathetic fools! And bow before your god Ganon!" cried the sorcerer as he lowered his hands and stepped to the side of the temple gate.

The army of monsters grunted and growled in satisfaction at the dead soldiers. Several rushed forward to claw and chew at their smoking flesh. Another furious roar and violent quake ripped through the temple as all, but the sorcerer, were thrown to the ground. Agahnim touched his fingertips to his temple and closed his eyes. "As you will my Lord." He muttered a moment later.

"What do I do?! What do I do?!" whimpered Link. Tears were now streaming from his eyes. He entire body shook with terror and his throat was choked tight. He had fought formidable beasts and overcome incredible odds. But these were like men; men who ate the flesh of the fallen. The image of one of these awful beasts bending down and baring its fangs to eat him filled his mind. Their leader, the sorcerer, too filled Link with great fear. He had never heard of a Hylian possessing such terrible magic. That wizard has just cut down so many knights with just a wave of his hand. "How can I fight that?!" the boy's mind cried out.

"The sword," squeaked Navi, "Use the sword! It is blessed by the goddess to defeat all evil!" Still crouched behind the stone fountain, Link looked at the sword in his arms. Watching the battle unfold, he had completely forgotten that he was still holding it. Even in this dense shadow it seemed to shine dimly. Almost with a light of its own. As he stared at it, his terrified thoughts subsided and a warm courage began to take their place. The Princess and Impa both had told him of the Master Sword's fabled power and he had drawn it from the stone.

The veiled sorcerer cast the dead aside with a wave of his arm and advanced on the few remaining knights. Several bravely tried to fight him, charging forward with great warcries, but each blade passed through the wizard without harm; as though he were made of smoke. Effortlessly, he killed all those who challenged him. With the wave of a hand he would burn them with lightning or guide fallen weapons with invisible hands to strike them.

The last few knights backed against a storefront and were encircled by Ganon's monsters. The sorcerer grinned and his evil eyes flashed, "My Lord has made this far too easy!" he cried aloud, when a small voice spoke behind them. "Go back... Go back where you came from!" shouted Link. The wizard and his guard turned to find Link brandishing an over-sized sword at them beside the city fountain. "What is this?" Laughed the wizard as he waved his guard aside and approached the child himself.

"... **The boy**..." the terrible voice growled from the temple, "... **kill the boy**!" At once, Agahnim's laughter died and his voice grew solemn. He bowed his head, answering: "As you command my lord" and locked his eyes on Link. The boy's hands shook but he planted his feet firmly. "I said go back where you came from!" he shouted again. Agahnim slowly raised his hand, palm upward, toward the sky. Several fallen swords and spears seemed to lift themselves from the ground and fly toward Link. Unable to dodge so many, the little warrior threw himself to the ground behind a pile of the fallen monsters.

Agahnim stepped closer, continuing to raise and throw weapons, shields, and even the bodies of the dead at the boy. When the wizard came close and stood over him, Link thrust the Master Sword out and valiantly tried to stab him. Agahnim easily turned aside, dodging the attack and roughly struck Link across the face, knocking him back to the ground. For a moment, the Master Sword slipped from Link's hands and clattered on the hard stones below.

"What can a man do against the power of my god?!" mused Agahnim arrogantly as he stood over Link. "What can a _boy_ do with _just_ a sword?" he asked as he reached down to take it from the boy. Link dove for the hilt, but Agahnim's fingers closed around it first. Another bright flash lit the square, but this time, it was the wizard who was struck. His voice raised up in a terrible scream as a boiling hiss came from the sword's grip. He quickly dropped the sword and clutched at his wounded hand, which was now badly burned and blackened. " **FOOL**!" roared Ganon, " **KILL THE BOY NOW**!"

As the sorcerer recoiled, Link swiftly crawled after the sword and closed his hands around its grip. But as the boy tried, once more, to strike the wizard; Agahnim unleashed his full power: mercilessly enveloping Link with his lightning. The poor boy's mind went completely blank and his body was filled with agony as he screamed in pain. The sorcerer's eyes were filled with murderous hatred as he poured all of his power into this attack. "Die boy! Die and bother me no more!"

But the wizard's anger had distracted him from those few remaining knights that held out nearby. Ganon's soldiers had been blinded by the flash of light from the Master Sword and staggered back; leaving an opening for the king's men. The Marshall's Lieutenant had seen Link fall and now dashed toward Agahnim. With the wizard distracted and no longer keeping any magic to protect himself, the knight swung his heavy mace and smashed it into Agahnim's side.

The lightning broke and flickered out as the wicked sorcerer collapsed to the ground, clutching at his crushed ribs. With his eyes bulging wide in terror, Agahnim choked out "save me my lord! save me!" The Lieutenant raised his hammer again to crush the monster's head, but he swiftly faded from sight and disappeared. The knights of Hyrule gathered around their last officer as Ganon's army now charged forward and crashed against their shield-wall.

Once his foe had escaped, the Lieutenant quickly looked down upon the boy. He was burned, but still breathing. Inches from his fingers, the magnificent Master Sword laid bare upon the cobblestone square. For a moment, a strange tone or note of music seemed to ring from its blade and come to the Knight's ears. A new voice, unknown but beautiful, spoke in the soldier's mind, "You must escape with him!"

Without hesitation, the Knight-Lieutenant dropped his weapon, lifted Link onto his shoulder, and, wrapping his hand in his own cape, lifted the Master Sword by the blade. After shouting to his comrades to cover his escape, he leapt upon one of the few horses left alive and fled south through the city gates. With several great cries of courage and battle fury, the remaining knights fought on to a heroic but fatal end.

As he cleared the gate and rode out over Hyrule's northern plains, a terrific explosion finally destroyed the magnificent Temple of Time. Its towers and spires collapsed downward into the rising flame and shadow and were lost to sight. Though none knew it, all that remained standing was the broken wall that once held the Door of Time; now a dark portal connecting Hyrule to the Dark Realm of Ganon.

Though his menacing evil and wicked servants poured into Hyrule, Ganon still could not force _his_ way through. Still the power of Hylia resisted him and would not allow him to bring himself physically into Hyrule. He would have to find another way into the world of light.


	9. Light, Love, & Tears

**_Night, June 24, 596 GK_ **

**_8 days after the Gerudo attack on Hyrule_ **

**_The Forbidden Forest_ **

The fearsome storm overhead continued to grow; rain now whipped sideways over the landscape as flashes of lightning shattered treetops and spattered the landscape with sparks and debris. A Hylian woman, badly injured and fleeing the destruction of her noble home, stumbled and staggered her way into the Lost Woods carrying her infant son. She knew the danger of entering the forbidden forest, but the murderous raiders that had tracked her to the forest's edge would bring certain death.

Her child, a baby boy less than a year old, screamed and wailed at the terrifying storm and grabbed at his mother's blouse for comfort. She did everything she could to shield him from the rain and whispered soothing words into his ears; but her strength was failing. The blood that poured from her side had not stopped and her vision was becoming clouded.

For several hours, she blindly groped her way through the darkness; holding her baby close in one arm, and holding the other outward to search for low hanging branches or the trunks of trees in her path. As she moved deeper, toward the heart of the forest, a terrible cold began to climb upward from her hands and feet. Her vision was growing darker and her chest was becoming heavier.

Finally, at the base of a small hill, she collapsed. Laying there, in the cold mud, the urge to sleep and surrender to the inevitable steadily grew. Her husband was dead, her house and lands burned, she was lost and bleeding to death; there was no hope. The distant screams of her child rippled through her. Mother's love forced her to remain conscious as she opened her eyes and crawled to her swaddled child, wailing and covering its eyes from the storm.

When she reached him, she could do little more than whisper to him and brush his cheek with one hand. "...shhh... it's ok... my love... it's just the rain... don't be afraid." The wind whipped and curled about the forest, causing the trees to groan and sway in the darkness. After a particularly deep and strange groan, she lifted her eyes up toward the top of the hill. Though her vision was failing, in the flashes of lightning she could see a massive tree standing at the hilltop. Its canopy stretched far above the rest of the forest and its roots plunged down to the base of the hill. With each flash, she thought the tree bore the shape of a worn old man looking down at her. Was it a trick of the light or was her mind just failing her? she did not know.

The cold had now spread over her arms and legs, and crept toward her heart. Everything was going numb and the voice of the Goddess quietly called to her. But she could not go. Her baby would starve to death or be taken by some beast within the forest, if she did not stay to protect him. With a clamor of creaking and cracking, the monstrous tree upon the hill, seemed to turn slightly and bend downward to look at her. "P-please..." she whimpered, "p-please help... I cannot leave him... there is no one else..." The terror of leaving her child to die made her desperate and she did not question the sight of a moving tree. "B-by Farore..." she mumbled, "M-m-mother of... f-forest and... f-field... Matron... of my... house."

The great, old tree just continued to stare down at the helpless woman and her child. As the last of her life slipped away, she continued to plead "please... my love..." until her cheek sank to the mud and darkness took her. The child continued to cry and tug at her icy fingers for comfort, confused and frightened by her silence. But soon, the wind and the rain over the secluded grove quickly stopped and the forest fell silent. The mother's body faded away into a soft blue light as the baby was gently lifted and carried to its new forest home.

**_Evening, July 17, 609 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 1_ **

**_Five miles southeast of the Capitol_ **

The last knight of Hyrule rode hard away from the capitol. His mind was racing over everything that had happened at the Temple of Time. "What am I to do? Where is Princess Zelda? Where do I take this boy? THE BOY!" he suddenly remembered the young boy that was draped over his mount's back, just behind him. The Lieutenant brought his mount to a halt and quickly checked his surroundings. All was quiet, save the gathering sounds of war back in the city, but that was far enough behind him now for a brief pause.

He slid down from his horse and gently lowered Link to the ground. The boy was very badly burned and had many open wounds on his arms, chest, and face. The man quickly searched the horse's tack, but the soldier's survival pack was missing; either forgotten during the rushed muster or lost during the battle. "Goddess help me" he murmured as he tore ribbons of cloth from the edge of his own cape, and set to binding Link's injuries. "By the Goddess... He doesn't have a chance without a healer." thought the knight as he watched the boy gradually turn pale and cold. "Here, take some water." He said softly, as he cradled the child's head and poured a small amount of water from his water skin into Link's mouth. He didn't speak, but his eyelids opened slightly and he managed to drink a little.

"You cannot afford to stop! The kingdom is under attack and the people must be warned!" the knight's conscience began to argue. "But, what about this boy?" he wondered, "Surely he will die if I do not help him! No! In war sacrifices have to be made! You are the only one with knowledge of what has happened at the capitol! You have to leave him!" The debate was fierce, but brief. Terrible as it was, the knight had to leave the boy here. There was no chance to save his life, and the soldier's horse could carry him much faster alone. "I'm very sorry son... good luck." He muttered, as he stood and turned back to his mount.

The Master Sword was carefully tucked through two leather straps holding one of the horse's saddlebags. The knight stopped for a moment and stared at it. In the city square, with the fierce battle and the sorcerer's bright lightning, the soldier had ignored the light reflecting off of its blade; but here, in this sheltered grove, the magnificent sword seemed to ripple and glow with a light of its own. "How can..." the man began to wonder, but the sword's faint music returned and filled his mind. For several minutes, the great knight stood motionless, staring at the sacred blade. Slowly he turned, and looked back at the boy laying helpless on the ground. "N-no," he whispered, "She _would_ be ashamed of me." After another moment's pause, he turned back and knelt beside the boy, as the sword's glow dimmed.

"Come on lad! There's a small village not far from here. There may be a healer there for you." The man said, as he reached down to lift the boy up. But his breathing had begun to grow raspy and weak. Link groaned and began to shake as the Lieutenant lifted his shoulders. "P-Please... Zelda..." he muttered. "What?" asked the knight, "What about Zelda? Do you know where she is? Answer me boy!" But Link only groaned and drifted deeper into shock.

Navi, hiding behind Link when he stood against Agahnim, was knocked away by the lightning attack. She recovered and got back into the air just in time to see the Lieutenant ride away with him and the Master Sword. She quickly raced after them, but the Lieutenant's horse was fast and Navi's small wings could not keep up. Eventually, she found him far to the southeast, sheltering in a small thicket next to the Zora River. Landing on the horse's saddle, she meant to catch her breath, until she saw Link's wounds.

"GET AWAY FROM HIM!" she shrieked, as she shot past the knight's ear and landed on Link's chest. The Lieutenant recoiled in surprise at the sudden appearance of the fairy. "Who are YOU?!" He cried, but Navi ignored him and pressed her ear against Link's chest. "Please... please... please be ok." She whispered. Very faintly, Navi could hear the boy's heartbeat; but it was weak, and irregular now. "You... know him?" mumbled the soldier. "Who is this boy?! How does he know Princess Zelda?!" he demanded, but Navi was still ignoring him. Her mind raced and her wings twitched fervently as she considered what had to be done.

A sudden, jarring convulsion from Link, made up her mind. Standing on his chest, she reached out and gently placed her hand on Link's chin. The soft, elegant blue light that surrounded her form began to grow brighter.

_" I Navi have sworn to protect you._

_Take now my light,_

_that your wounds may be healed, and your life preserved._

_Live Link, Live,_

_and remember... my love."_

Navi's light grew brighter and brighter until it became a brilliant white ball. The knight could only stare in wonder at what he was seeing. "Alfon, take them both to Lake Hylia," the fairy's voice echoed from far away, "Watch over him in my stead, I entreat thee..." With a sudden, powerful flash, Navi's light disappeared and she was gone. For a few seconds, everything in the thicket seemed to remain motionless and silent; only the gentle sound of the flowing river nearby was heard. Link gasped a deep breath and bolted upright. His wounds had closed and his color was restored. "Navi!" he shouted, as he frantically looked around, but his voice only echoed off the nearby rocks and trees. Slowly, he reached up and placed his hand on his chest, where Navi had stood. He had felt her there, for a moment, but now she was gone. As his eyes drew down to his healed hands, the icy pain of what had really happened began to creep into his heart. Tears slowly welled and he clenched both hands into fists, "...no..." he whimpered, "...don't go..."

Knight-Lieutenant Alfon sat stunned, upon the road, for several seconds after the sudden disappearance of Navi. Link knew he was there, but paid no attention to him. At the edge of memory, like a long-forgotten dream, Navi had come to the boy and, kneeling down, held him in a tight embrace. "You will be ok Link." She soothed, as her warm brilliant light surrounded him. She was tall now; as tall as a Hylian woman, and beautiful, "...Live, and remember my love..."

He wrapped his arms tightly around her. She was warm and her skin felt soft against his cheek. Link could smell the trees of the forest, and hear the leaves in the wind. Navi smiled down at him and gently brushed her fingers over his hair, her silky wings wrapping around him like a blanket. "This is what it's like to have a mother." Link thought to himself. Her light was growing brighter and the warmth of her love seemed to wash over him. He looked up and saw tears in her eyes as she smiled lovingly down at him. And then, she was gone. The dream shattered and the cold wind upon his face was all that remained.

Alfon had never seen a fairy before. He had long considered them to be a superstition of the country-folk and dismissed the stories of their magic ability to heal dying Hylians. "It was beautiful and... terrible to watch." He would remember later. But a harsh cry from the north brought the solider back to his senses. Ganon's minions were searching for them and had likely caught their scent. "Come on," he said as he got to his feet, "we need to reach the lake."

Link said nothing. He remained sitting on the road, staring at his hands. He could still feel her warmth on his cheek, her delicate wings wrapped around his shoulders, but it was all fading rapidly in the cold morning air. Alfon pitied the boy, but they could not spare the time. After quickly checking the boy to make sure he was fully healed, he lifted Link up and mounted his horse. "All we can do is find Princess Zelda." He said. "Zelda..." echoed Link with a murmur.


	10. The Bond

**_Nearly Midnight, July 16, 609 GK_ **

**_Northern Hyrule's Grasslands_ **

Impa and Princess Zelda had ridden hard through the driving rain for several hours. Though the princess could not see him, Impa had warned that Gannondorf was close behind. As she rounded Lon Lon Ranch's plateau, the sheikah retrieved a small handful of stones from her satchel and threw them onto the ground behind the princess' horse. She then turned the horse sharply and sheltered against the southern face of the plateau. Zelda, panicking at the idea of stopping, began to object, but Impa firmly clapped her hand over the princess' mouth,

"You must be absolutely silent princess!" she whispered. A moment later, over the sound of the thunder and the pouring rain, the faint tramp of galloping hooves could be heard from the path behind them. Impa strained her ears for the right moment, then whispered a word in sheikahn. The stones that she had dropped suddenly hissed and began to smoke violently on the path. "Be... perfectly... still." The warden silently whispered into Zelda's ear.

After only a few seconds, Gannondorf's great black steed charged around the side of the plateau, following Impa's path, right to the stones. The horse skidded in the mud to a sudden halt as Gannondorf cursed angrily. He was certain he had seen a glimpse of the white horse in the last flash of lightning, but now they had disappeared. As he turned his head from side to side, searching for his prey, his evil eyes looked directly at Zelda. The princess shuddered and struggled against Impa's arm, but the sheikah held her tight.

Gannondorf narrowed his eyes and carefully scanned the wall of the plateau. The air here was thick with mist, in spite of the rain, and that made him suspicious. He quickly dismounted, and searched the mud for hoof-prints. The storm was quickly washing away all evidence of his prey's flight, but he believed he saw tracks leading toward the rocky plateau. Stooped low, almost at a crawl, the Gerudo Chieftain began to approach the two terrified women. Zelda's heart was beating very fast now and her breathing was becoming frantic. Impa, very slowly, slipped her right hand down to the hilt of her katana, and with her left hand, covered the princess' mouth and nose.

She would not allow Zelda to be taken. If necessary, she would leap from the horse and command it to run. Impa would fight Gannondorf alone and give the princess a chance to escape. As the Gerudo drew closer, she could feel Zelda's heart beating faster and faster as the child struggled to hold her breath. "Goddess Hylia, mother and guardian of life, protect us... please!" She plead silently in her mind. Suddenly, a blinding flash of white light burst over them and a terrific crash of thunder beat down upon them. In the distance, the faint whinny of a terrified horse could be heard, just after the crash. In one swift movement, Gannondorf leapt back onto his horse and drove him hard to a gallop around the southern face of Lon Lon Ranch and disappeared into the darkness to the Northwest.

When she was certain he had gone, Impa released Zelda and returned her hands to the reigns. The princess gasped desperately for air. "How dare you?!" she angrily sobbed at her attendant. Impa, still very alert and scanning the countryside, returned Zelda's horse to a southerly path. "I beg your forgiveness, your Grace, but we could not risk any sound at all. The sheikah's spell of concealment is a fragile one and easily broken by careless sound or movement." Zelda did not care for Impa's excuse. Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she continued to struggle regaining her breath. She had never been so terrified in her life. In little more than a few hours, the most traumatic events of her life had just occurred: A peaceful evening in her chambers shattered by a sudden explosion within the castle, witnessing the death of her parents, forced to flee her home into a storm-lashed night, and now being hunted by a ruthless murderer on horseback.

Several hours passed in silence as the two continued to make their way southward. The storm had now passed and the moon now hung low in the western sky. "Daylight will be here soon." muttered Impa. The princess did not hear her though; her mind was blank and unfocused. Once the adrenaline of Gannondorf's chase had subsided, she had time to think. Everything was gone: her parents, her home, her wealth, everything.

The princess' mind could not accept what was happening. She clenched her eyes shut, and willed herself to wake up from this horrible nightmare. "It can't be! It just can't be!" she thought to herself, "They can't really be gone!" But when she opened her eyes again, she was still sitting on her horse; soaking wet and an orphan. The hard reality of that word began to press down on her and she shook with a new fear. "What will become of me? Where will I go?" she wondered. As her spirit crumbled, she began to sob once more. Impa wrapped an arm around her and said, "I know child... I know. It will be alright. I'm here."

The sheikah matron avoided all of the main roads within Hyrule; choosing instead to travel over country. She did not know how large Gannondorf's attack was, or for how long he had kept spies and assassins within the kingdom. Any of Hyrule's small villages could have a killer waiting for them. As the eastern sky grew brighter, Zelda spotted a small village in the distance, away to their left, but Impa refused to take her there. "We must avoid all eyes, your grace," she explained, "He will likely seek us out at any refuge we could reach. We will have to fend for ourselves."

Dawn came unceremoniously as the sun steadily rose over the mountains in the East and shone down upon the landscape. Impa was usually more comfortable moving at night, but the bright sun helped to ease her anxiety. Gannondorf could now be spotted from a great distance and the Hylian knights would be hunting him. The princess now leaned back against Impa with her head drooped onto her chest. Exhausted from the lack of sleep and from the night's terror, she dozed uneasily as her attendant held her.

"The poor child," Impa thought to herself, "to lose both of her parents so young." Her concern went beyond that of charitable pity for an orphan though, she pitied Hyrule itself. "Her mother was going to instruct her on how to use her power." Impa remembered, "Her dreams, and her intuition about the boy... her power must be starting to awaken." The sheikah knew that the duty of guiding and instructing the princess now fell solely on her. In the absence of the queen, she would have to do what she could to guide Zelda's path.

Suddenly, a tremor rippled out over the countryside as a wave of intense power burst free in the North. Impa, jarred by the sudden sensation, turned in the saddle to look back. At the horizon, the tops of Hyrule Castle's towers could barely be seen in the morning light as well as the spires of the Temple of Time. Zelda, jolted awake by her matron's sudden movement, feared that Gannondorf had been spotted, "What? Where is he?!" she shouted in terror. "It's not him, your grace, be still. It is the boy." she replied solemnly, still staring to the north.

"Link?" Zelda cried, "Where is he?" For the first time, the princess' dark thoughts and painful memories were broken by the idea that Link might somehow be nearby. He was a friend and something stable that her mind could hold on to from her past. After a moment though, she realized that the boy was not there, and the sinking sadness returned. "He's opened the door, your grace," Impa started, "He has entered the Sacred Realm." Zelda too now turned excitedly to the north. "That's good. He will keep the Triforce safe from Gannondorf." she said confidently. "Are you sure it was wise to trust the boy with this your grace? We barely know him." replied Impa. "I know him." said Zelda, "He's the key to saving Hyrule... I just know it."

Returning to their journey, Zelda began to plan the next steps. First, Link would get the Triforce and use it to protect the Sacred Realm and prevent Gannondorf from getting its power. Next, Zelda and Impa would return to the capitol. Link would give the Triforce to Zelda and she would use it to banish Gannondorf back to his desert forever. It was all so simple; nothing could go wrong. Assured now that all would be well, the princess leaned back against her companion again, and let herself doze.

The sounds of the horse's steady hoof beats on the ground or the slow, deliberate breathing of her protector gradually drifted away, as Zelda was carried to a cloudy, dream-like place. She was standing on hard stone, but she could not see anything around her. The air was thick with cloud or smoke. Faintly, she could hear the echoes of shouts and the whinnying of horses, the ring of steel, the clash of thunder and, something else. Something very frightening. A growling or very distant roaring in the darkness. Zelda felt very cold and fearful in this place. There was something out there in the smoky blackness, something evil. "Go Back!" the voice of Link suddenly rang out in the fog. "Go back where you came from!" he shouted again.

For an instant, Zelda was elated to hear his voice, but quickly, she felt his fear. "He's terrified." she muttered to herself. "What in the name of the Goddess could frighten him so much?" she wondered. "Link?!" she called out, "Link, where are you?!" The sounds of the battle were becoming clearer and quickly drawing closer. "Link, where are you? Link I'm here!" she shouted as she ran through the fog toward his voice.

Link's heart was beating very fast. He was more than afraid; he was certain that he was going to die. Frantically, the princess ran through the darkness calling out to him. Suddenly, a large shadow grew and took form in the cloud ahead of her. Agahnim, the terrible sorcerer, stood over her and raised his hands. The princess looked up at him, overcome with terror. "I have to do something!" the words echoed through her mind, "I have to stab him!" As Zelda dove for the master sword's handle, Agahnim struck her with all of his power: "Die and bother me no more!" he bellowed. The princess, leaning against Impa as she dreamed, suddenly went very rigid. Every muscle in her body seemed to contract and the girl shook with a sudden violence. "Your Grace!" Impa cried as she fell from the horse, screaming in agony.

Impa hurriedly leapt down from her mount and tried to cradle the princess as she thrashed and screamed. No matter how hard Impa tried to shake or call to her, the princess would not snap out of whatever fit had taken her. Finally, sensing a source of magic flowing within the girl, Impa focused her power and attempted to break the connection. For a brief moment, the sorcerer's lightning bit at her too, but she was able to break Zelda's mind away from Link. The girl quickly went limp and breathed easier. "Your Grace, Your Grace are you alright?!" the sheikah asked urgently. Slowly, the princess opened her eyes and looked up at her attendant. Impa's face was wracked with worry; even small tears had begun to form in the corners of her eyes. "Oh Impa..." Zelda murmured, "They're killing him!"


	11. Duty, Honor, & Brotherhood

**_Mid-Day, July 26, 609 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 10_ **

**_Lake Hylia, South Central Hyrule_ **

The journey from the Capitol City to Lake Hylia was normally three days for a rider who could obtain fresh horses at the garrisons and villages along the king's road. Impa, however, refused to approach any of these, for fear of Gannondorf's influence, and brought the princess over-land southward. At night, the sheikah would conceal the princess and her mount under another magical illusion, and slip into a nearby farm to gather food. In this manner, Princess Zelda and her guardian did not reach their destination until nine days after the attack at Hyrule Castle.

At Lake Hylia, they sought the protection of the Zora, who granted them refuge within the Water Temple beneath the Lake. Once Zelda was safe, Impa and the Zora summoned the Sage of Water and prepared for their defense. The Water-Sage informed Impa of Rauru's disappearance and the surge of darkness that seemed to spread from the Temple of Light. The Zora, traveling throughout Hyrule's waterways, soon brought word of the destruction of the Temple of Time and the assembly of the company of monsters within the capitol city.

Impa was horrified at the news of Gannondorf's triumph. The sacred realm of the Goddess was now corrupted with absolute evil. The Triforce, the source of life and prosperity in Hyrule, was in the hands of a murderous thief. How could any of them survive? Zelda lay on her small bed within the temple, sobbing into her blanket, as the sheikah told her the news.

To the princess, everything was her fault: Her parents' deaths, the destruction of the Temple, the triumph of evil, even Link's demise. At this last thought, she sobbed even harder and gasped for breath. She couldn't bear the thought of sending her only friend to his death. More than ten days had passed since the horrible vision of the sorcerer, but Zelda could still clearly see his hate-filled eyes and feel the terrible agony that Link had been subjected to. She prayed fervently to the Goddess for his survival.

The only piece of good news to reach them was that many of the Marshal's messengers had made it to their posts and were already forming companies of soldiers around the kingdom. The day after Zelda's arrival, one formation of "Country Militia" marched down the lake road and set up defensive positions behind the iron gate. They were mostly farmers, armed with axes, clubs, or even pitch-forks, but a few had been veterans of the civil war and donned their old soldier's gear.

Their Captain was an older, rather fat farmer, who struggled to kneel and present his sword when Impa and Zelda came out to meet them. His armor bore the markings of several campaigns and honors, but the doughy bulges of flesh that stuck out between the plates filled Zelda's guardian with doubt. "Corin, Captain of His Majesty's Fourth Militia Company, at your service Your Highness, Your Ladyship." He greeted them as he held the hilt of his sword out to Zelda.

The princess didn't know what to do, the sheikah and captain seemed to be waiting for her to say or do something. When Impa cleared her throat and motioned to Zelda, she stepped forward and took the man's sword. It was heavy and unwieldy in her hands, but the captain kept waiting for her to do something. Thinking quickly, Zelda remembered seeing one of the ladies at court with her beau; one of the king's knights. The lady had kissed the knight's broadsword before a tournament for good luck. Zelda awkwardly lifted the sword's cross-guard to her lips and kissed it. The metal was cold and her nose was filled with the smell of the steel, but the captain's face beamed and he bowed his head. Zelda quickly handed the sword back to him and muttered, "Fight well... good sir."

"By the grace of the Goddess and the strength of my fathers!" he cried in reply, as he whirled the sword once above his head and sheathed it. With some effort, he returned to his feet, and bowed his head, asking for permission to set his guard about the lake. Zelda, not knowing anything of military matters, instructed the captain to do whatever he felt was necessary.

With boisterous energy, the Militia Captain bellowed orders to his men to begin building a barricade to reinforce the iron gate and to get to work on preparing large tents near the lake's edge. His appearance was lacking, but his energy and determination impressed the two women. Within a few hours, a small tent-city had sprung up near the lakeside with a basic forge, cook's tent, a seamstress' workshop, and a leather worker.

A wall of soldiers now guarded the only road down to the lake and several sentries silently patrolled the camp day and night. The soldiers' families soon followed them into the lakeside. Wives, Mothers, and Children slowly streamed down the lake road on small carts & farm wagons. The militia call-up had commanded all farmers to gather as much food as they could from their fields in one week, then to bring it to the muster location for combat assignments. Each family now brought full cartloads of fruits, vegetables, and even livestock to the lake-side camp. The Fourth Militia's orders were to hold Lake Hylia against any threat, protecting the Kingdom's water source, until further orders arrived.

Steadily, more good news came from the Zora or Hylian riders. The Gorons, having seen the destruction of the Temple of Time and the ominous black cloud spread out over the capitol from their high mountain, gathered their warriors and joined the Hylians at Kakariko Village. A brief, but fierce battle was fought there, but the enemy was repelled, and Kakariko saved.

Riders had reached the regional governors of Necluda, Akkala, and Faron; who all pledged their support and promised to send reinforcements as quickly as possible. Through it all however, Zelda kept asking if anyone knew the fate of Link. No one from within the capitol had managed to escape after the monsters attacked and none of the Princess' guardians believed that a boy could have survived the destruction of the temple. During the second night since the Princess reached the lake, word finally came from the outer guard that a single rider had arrived, carrying a small boy.

**_Late Evening, July 28, 609 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 12_ **

**_Provincial Throne Room, Lake Hylia_ **

Within the upper levels of the Temple, a makeshift throne room was quickly prepared for the young princess. The generous Zora provided her with new clothes; made from delicate silks, a new golden circlet, and even brought the King's Seat from their domain in the Lanayru Mountains. This was not the Hylian Throne to be sure, but it was an elegantly carved wooden chair with a high back, that his majesty used when visiting the Zora.

Zelda hardly looked the image of a Queen sitting in such a strange place on such a large throne, but she held her head high and received the worn Lieutenant Alfon. "Your Royal Highness," he greeted, as he removed his helmet and knelt before her. Setting his helmet on the floor beside him, he carefully un-slung the Master Sword from his back, which was still wrapped in his torn cape.

On their journey southward, Link and Alfon were stopped by several of the Eastern Garrisons, who were desperate for any news from the capitol and for instructions moving forward. The knight loathed any delay, but was forced to stop several times and help the militia companies organize and prepare for Ganon's attack. Once the garrison was adequately prepared, Alfon would locate a new horse and move Link and their gear onto it.

He now tore the bottom half of his own cape free and carefully wrapped the Master Sword in it; fixing a leather belt to both ends, and hanging it across his back. At all times, he was careful not to touch it with his bare hands, for fear of being burned like the wizard. But the sword remained silent and dim, and allowed itself to be carried by the knight southward.

As he approached the lake however, he couldn't shake the feeling that the sword was gradually becoming heavier. Here now, before the princess, it became as heavy as stone. Only once on their journey, during the previous night when Link dozed from exhaustion, Alfon had carefully unwrapped the sword and gazed at its brilliance. The sword still bore a faint silver-blue glow that seemed to ripple and pulse, like moonlight upon the surface of the lake.

Holding it out to the princess with his head bowed, Alfon's arms began to strain and shake under the weight. "You offer the Princess your rolled cloak?" asked Impa with a confused tone, but Zelda raised her hand to silence her. She could sense the great power before her. Alfon's shaking hands caused the folded cloak to fall away from the hilt, exposing the pommel and then the grip.

The princess was stunned, if the sword had been pulled, how and why was Gannondorf able to obtain the Triforce? Only Link had the spiritual stones and the Ocarina, he should have been the only one capable of pulling the sword. She rose from her throne and stepped toward the knight. "How came you by this sword, worthy knight?" she asked cautiously.

The weight of the sword seemed to rapidly increase as the princess came near. Sweat began to form on Alfon's brow, as he struggled to keep the sword above his head. "The boy, Link, had the sword your highness. After the sorcerer struck him down, I wrapped it in my cloak and brought it here." Now that Zelda stood close to him, the sword's weight became unbearable and Alfon's hands sank to the floor, pinned under the blade. "Forgive me, my lady..." his voice was choked with the strain, "...Please...".

Zelda reached down and, barehanded, grasped the Master Sword by its grip and lifted it lightly from Alfon's cloak-covered hands. A hushed gasp swept through the room as all stared at Princess Zelda gently holding the Master Sword, when this hardened knight was brought to the floor. "H-How...?" Alfon stammered, "Only the boy and the Princess can wield it?!" The princess' eyes were marveling at the beautiful sword in her hand, when she darted back to Alfon at the mention of "the boy."

"Where is he? You did not leave him!?" she asked sternly. Again, the knight lowered his head, "He is with the healers my lady, he has suffered much since I found him." A lump formed in Zelda's throat. "Struck down by the wizard. He had suffered much." What had happened? She and Impa had led Gannondorf away from the castle. Only Link had the keys to the sacred realm.

Her stomach turned and fear crept up to squeeze at her heart: she sent him in there, he suffered for it, and now Gannondorf had reached the sacred realm. She wanted, desperately, to rush to Link and find him unharmed. But she was a princess. Princess of a kingdom under attack. "What is your name, good knight?" She asked, clearing her throat.

Still kneeling, but relieved of the sword, Alfon straightened his back and placed his right hand over the left side of his chest, "I am Alfon, son of Duron, Knight-Lieutenant of the Castle Guard and Loyal Servant of the King-" he stopped suddenly, but it was too late. When a superior demanded one's name, this is how a knight was to answer, but he did not want to bring his Princess more pain by mentioning her murdered father.

Zelda flinched slightly but quickly forced the pain out of her mind. "Tell me, what of the Castle's Company and the Marshal? We have had no word from him since the attack." She asked. The princess knew of a great defeat, but she still hoped that other survivors may have escaped. Alfon's eyes turned down toward the Princess' feet. Up to this point he had been able to push the loss out of his mind by focusing on getting the boy to safety and finding Zelda, but now he had time to think and feel.

"Your Highness," he started, his voice growing dark, "I regret to inform you that the entire garrison, including his Lordship, fought to the very last and fell at the gates to the Temple of Time." A cruel guilt began to squeeze at Alfon's chest and his eyes started to water, "only by the blood and honor of my brothers was I able to escape with the boy..." The pain now made it difficult to breathe. The echoes of the battle rang in his ears. The image of his Marshall falling, broken in front of the sorcerer filled his mind.

He cursed himself in his heart: "You fled while your brothers fought on... while they died... YOU COWARD!" "...and my dishonorable shame." he hoarsely finished to the princess. Tears began streaming down his face and landed on the floor at her feet. "Forgive me Your Highness." he choked out as he reached up and unclasped the royal family's seal from his spaulder. He _was_ a coward and unworthy of this sigil. He felt that he deserved to die for abandoning his brothers on the field.

All who were gathered, Impa included, were numb with shock. The entire garrison had been lost. All now frantically wondered at what could be done to protect what remained of the Kingdom, without its greatest warriors. But Zelda's mind was focused on the ruined man before her. Her heart was breaking for the poor soldier; her own eyes watering at his words. She could feel the terrible ache in his heart and the sickening shame he felt now in her presence.

Growing up in the castle, she had always been near the King's soldiers. Their ways were sometimes odd to her, but she knew of their code of honor and the bond of brotherhood between them. For a moment, she closed her eyes. In her mind's eye she could see the terrible battle, the heroic charge and the clash of steel. She could hear the distant screams of the wounded, and the gallant cry onward of the Marshal. How he fell, but his sons and brothers fought on. How the shadow came and consumed them all, and how Alfon had barely escaped, carrying Link to safety.

The princess opened her eyes again, and looked down at Alfon. He gasped for breath against his pain and sobbed with his teeth clenched, still holding the King's sigil out to her. Zelda reached down, placing her hand on the knight's cheek, and turned his face upward to her. His eyes were bloodshot and his face racked with pain. She leaned down, kissed his forehead, and looked into his eyes: "You took action in a hopeless battle, to save a life... there is no dishonor or shame in that. You may have saved us all." As she said this, she took the sigil from his hand and clipped it back onto his shoulder. Alfon was speechless. Such generosity and grace, he believed he did not deserve it. All he could do was croak "My Lady" as he again, bowed his head low. "Go now and rest," said Zelda, "you have carried the greatest burdens for all of us." she finished as she turned her eyes back to the sword.

The knight rose, briefly bowed his head to Impa, and left. Zelda returned to her throne and lay the master sword across her lap. The princess' warden came and stood beside her. "Are you alright Your Grace?" she asked. "No Impa..." the princess responded in a whisper as she started down at the sword. "But the boy is alive! I thought you would be pleased." The sheikah continued, trying to cheer her up. But Zelda's heart had been crushed by Alfon's words. The entire company of Knights, Hyrule's finest warriors, were all slaughtered because of her. Link had been tortured and 'struck down' by some wicked sorcerer, because of her. The Triforce was now the ultimate power of evil, because of her. Her guilt had grown ten-fold and she began to cry again; tears falling on the magnificent blade. Impa swiftly moved to close the chamber door and returned to comfort the princess. "Oh Impa..." Zelda whimpered, "... I want to die."

Far away, sprawled on the floor of the ruined Temple of Time, Agahnim was being punished. He writhed and screamed as his master tortured him. " **You fool! You allowed them to escape!** " boomed Ganon. "Please, my lord, forgive your pitiful servant!" Cried Agahnim, but the pain only increased; Ganon hated pleading. "I will find them! I will kill them I swear!" " **No** ," replied Ganon as he released his minion, " **Let my servants kill them. You must find a way to return me to Hyrule!** "


	12. Hard Choices

**_Mid-Day, August 2, 609 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 17_ **

**_Lake Hylia, South Central Hyrule_ **

Many who managed to flee the capitol and the surrounding landscape ahead of Ganon's forces now wandered south to the Lake and began to establish small camps around its northern edge. The wounded and seriously ill were sheltered in a small infirmary inside the upper levels of Temple of Water. A week after his arrival at the lake, Link sat at the foot of his bed in the infirmary, downcast and silent. All around him lay the wounded and the sick from Ganon's war. Many of the nurses' patients became seriously ill, but the healers struggled to determine the cause. It was either by some poison or a new plague introduced by Agahnim.

The Temple of Water was an ancient structure. Built hundreds, if not thousands of years before, it served as both the home of the Sage of Water and as the sacred place for Hyrule's denizens to give thanks to the Goddess for the life-giving water they needed. Much of the temple lay submerged – beneath a small island at the lake's center. But a narrow wing extended along the lakebed to the northwestern shore and a small stone tower gave access to those that dwelt upon the land.

The Zora were gracious enough to grant Princess Zelda and her officers the use of this tower and its lower levels. Her throne room, the infirmary, and a small number of storerooms and guest quarters were quickly prepared and occupied by the displaced Hylian leadership. The long passage to the central temple, however, was blocked by several Zoran soldiers. Admittance would only be permitted upon request, and then only granted by the Sage of Water, they explained. Zelda and Impa were both troubled by this. In the past, Hylians were often allowed to make a pilgrimage to the temple to pray and give thanks. But these changes were quickly overshadowed and forgotten due to the demands of war.

The soldiers who now guarded the princess' tower, often traded rumors and gossip about what was happening in the outside world. Stories were quickly spreading that those who died under the shadow would rise again as monsters in Ganon's army. As fear permeated the air at the lake, Link could hear two guards near the door whispering about the Gerudo entering the war and swearing allegiance to their new god - Ganon.

All around him, hopelessness and despair seemed to grow out of control about the war. But his mind was far away from this place, wandering beautiful green forests under a bright sun, with his best friend. The painful ache in his chest had remained since that night. He just could not shake the guilty thought that somehow, he had killed her. He must have failed to see or do something to prevent what had happened.

The nurses and healers urged him to tell them what had happened, but he would not speak. Even as they spoke, their voices would fade away, and he would feel it: the warm glow of her light on his chest. How it seemed to seep in through his skin and drive away all pain. How her sweet voice had reached him, even unconscious, and asked him to remember her and how much she loved him. Then would drop his face into his hands and continue to weep. She was gone and she wasn't coming back, and it was all his fault. He had opened the great door and pulled the sacred sword, but he must have missed something. Now, so many innocents had died. Many more were suffering. That monster was loose in Hyrule and... Navi was gone.

As the boy despaired, additional companies of soldiers began to march in from Hyrule's different provinces. Some were organized regiments of professional soldiers in the King's Army. But most were militia: common farmers and shop workers. They had been given a basic sword and wooden shield, but lacking organization and proper supplies. Sir Alfon did what he could to order the army and organize a front line against the enemy, while keeping a sizeable guard at the lake; but the original food-stores that had been brought in were hard-pressed to feed the growing mass of Hylian refugees and space was very limited around the lake.

To make matters worse, the Zora resented the sudden explosion of Hylian activity on their shore. In the beginning, they were willing to tolerate the princess, her entourage, and maybe a few soldiers in tents as a matter of charity; but when the Hylians began building permanent structures, the Zora started to demand that they find another source of water to bathe in and to relieve themselves, lest the lake and the Water Temple be desecrated.

The Princess and Impa did their best to maintain friendly relations with the Zora; assuring them that the lake would be respected and that the Zora's charity would be remembered for several generations. Most of the negotiations had been handled by the sheikah as the princess found herself quickly overwhelmed with the sudden responsibilities of being the only living member of the royal family and head of state. Desperate for relief, she named Impa "Minister-Regent of Hyrule" and granted her authority to rule in her stead until she came of age. The minister had been reluctant to take on such responsibility (and power) but with the arrival of Alfon she could now share the duties of guarding the princess as well as trust him to lead the Army.

One of her first acts was to reform the "King's Council" now renamed "The Princess' Council." Impa and Alfon both sat on the council as "Chief Advisors" in addition to several of the original council members who had been away from the capitol during the attack. These were prominent merchants, politicians, and large-community leaders who had grown tired of Gannondorf and his Gerudo's presence and begged the King for leave to return to their homes. Now, huddled in the spare room provided by the Zora, they felt ashamed for not being beside their monarch when Gannondorf attacked. "No one could have known for certain what he was planning." Impa assured them, "And all of you would certainly have been killed or captured in the attack. So, it is well that you had left." The councilors appreciated her kind words and eagerly searched for a way to be helpful to their princess.

For more than a week at the lakeside, the council urged the princess and her minister to send what forces they had north, to make an attempt at retaking the capitol. Sir Alfon, the kingdom's sole remaining knight, argued against it; reasoning that the soldiers were far too inexperienced and poorly equipped to fight. But when he was accused of cowardice by the council, he fell silent and would only tell the princess that he would carry out her command, "whatever it may be." Zelda and Impa too were eager to push back against Ganon and attempt to retake the castle. So, the knight was commanded to lead all but the feeblest men on an expedition northward. The great warrior mounted his horse and led what remained of the King's Army out from the lake; joining several more garrisons along their journey north.

**_Dawn, August 11, 609 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 26_ **

**_The Capitol City, North-Central Hyrule_ **

The capitol city was now covered in a thick, lightless black fog. Only the outermost edges of the capitol's wall could be seen as the churning storm within shrouded all of the remaining homes and shops from view. Three times the Hylian infantry tried to push past the city's gates and three times they were repelled. Arrows, poisoned darts, and even the sorcerer's fearsome lightning shot out from the darkness into their ranks, killing scores. The storm itself seemed to swell and growl at each attempt, filling the men with fear and weakening their resolve. Finally, after the third failed charge, the enemy's forces poured outward and attacked the Hylians upon open ground. Here, the professional soldiers had a chance to fight and to prove themselves; but the militiamen were terrified of Ganon's fearsome monsters and quickly broke their positions and ran.

Without their support, the King's Army wavered, splintered, and swiftly collapsed under the attack. Hundreds of the kingdom's best soldiers were cornered and cut down as the farmers and shopkeepers fled into the countryside. Sir Alfon, having lost his horse to a poisoned arrow, waded into the enemy; swinging his longsword with broad, sweeping strokes in an effort to reach the trapped men before it was too late. Several he was able to reach, but many more would be lost as the enemy began to press down upon the knight and his survivors. Unable to save the situation, Alfon ordered a long, fighting retreat southward until they were out of arrow shot from the enemy walls. The moblins, strangely, did not pursue the Hylians farther and, instead, dragged the bodies of the dead deeper into the city, under Ganon's cloud.

From Lon Lon Ranch, stretching East and Westward, a thin front line was formed and a siege laid over the capitol city. No enemy force from within the castle and no aid from without would be allowed to move freely through the city gates. Knight Alfon swiftly retrieved a new horse from the ranch, and rode it hard southward to report the disaster to Princess Zelda.

At every town and village he passed, Sir Alfon commanded that the citizens withdraw and evacuate themselves to Lake Hylia, Kakariko Village, or to even go as far as the outlands; for fear of the Hylian army being completely overrun in the north. And so, Kakariko doubled overnight, and a new town was quickly being built around Lake Hylia to accommodate the dislocated Hylians. "Lake-Town" would be a muddy, crowded new capital for Hyrule.

**_Mid-Day, August 15, 609 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 30_ **

**_Lake Hylia, South Central Hyrule_ **

Though he was constantly on her mind, Zelda had not been able to go and see Link. The war demanded her constant attention and, when her mind began to wander, Impa was sure to prod her back to more serious matters. The Gerudo had invaded Hyrule from the west and were attempting to join up with Ganon's force at the castle. The Gorons, however, quickly joined the war, swearing an alliance with the Hylians. The Zora too had pledged their support and guarded Hyrule's precious waterways. For the present, the combined Hyrulian, Zoran, and Goron armies held a shaking defense of Kakariko Village, Zora's Domain, and Lake Hylia. But the front line outside of the capitol held their greatest risk: if the Gerudo were able to break through, the enemy's position would be strengthened and Kakariko could be the next to fall.

As the days crept by, word came that the black fog over the city was growing. The menacing cloud now stretched upward into the sky, and spread outward over the land. Within a few days, the entire central kingdom was blanketed under a shadow. Even at the height of the day, little of the sun's warmth was able to penetrate down to the fields below. Hyrule's fertile-green landscape yellowed and began to wither. Food became difficult to find as the old farms were abandoned and new crops struggled to take root near the lake. Caravans, arriving from Necluda, kept the people alive, but these were easy targets for Ganon's raiders at night.

Agahnim, frustrated by the Hylian's siege, sent vicious raids out at night to remind them of the horrors that awaited just outside their lines. His favorite were the giant bats: massive beasts of darkness which would glide silently through the night air and dive shrieking down upon some unsuspecting victim. Many poor souls would be found later, discarded, with their blood drained and their flesh partially eaten.

Unknown to the Hylians, the sorcerer had begged his master to send additional forces to the world of light and allow the wizard to finish off Zelda's crumbling army. Ganon, unwilling to admit to any limitations of his power, commanded Agahnim instead to bring the Gerudo to him. " **With their lives, I will grant you the greatest army Hyrule has ever seen**!" he declared. So, the wizard kept what forces he had close to the capitol city; to protect the portal and _his_ castle. His bats were focused against the Hylian supplies, in an effort to weaken their front. Once the Hylian line was forced back, he could bring the entire Gerudo tribe into the city unopposed and present them to his master.

After two weeks at the lake, a day came when one of the nurses approached Impa to give the infirmary's report. After the status of the wounded and the stock of supplies was given, Impa quietly asked about Link. Zelda's ears twitched, and she discreetly turned her head to listen. "The boy still will not speak to us, my lady." The nurse replied sadly. Impa shook her head and furrowed her brow, "If only he knew how important he was. He would stop being foolish and help us."

The princess couldn't bear it any longer. She turned away from the casualty reports, the maps, the bickering captains, and rushed to the infirmary. Impa called after her, but did not try to stop her. Running through the temple hallways, Zelda's gloom began to turn as a rush of exhilaration came over her; she was finally going to see her friend. She imagined that he would smile when he saw her. They might even embrace with the joy of seeing one another alive and well! Two friends, lost and alone in this war, but they would have each other. When she reached the infirmary doorway, she saw the boy sitting on his bed, staring down at his lap. "Link!" she gasped, smiling broadly and relieved to see him at last. Link's ears twitched at the sound of her voice and he slowly turned his head to glare at her.

Zelda's smile quickly faded. There was something dark about Link's eyes. "I am glad to see that you are safe..." Zelda said carefully, stepping toward him. Link continued to glare silently at her, his hands clenching into fists on his lap. He had been stuck inside this infirmary for weeks and she had never come to see him. The fear and guilt over everything that happened had twisted together and become a bitter hatred toward the princess. She had sent him to find the spiritual stones. She had thrown the Ocarina to him. She had commanded him to open the Sacred Realm. "It's your fault!" He bitterly thought as she walked toward him, "You killed them!" But his own conscience pushed back against his anger. "No, you agreed to go on this journey! The princess was trying to warn her father about Gannondorf! _You_ failed _her_! You let that monster reach the Triforce!" he scolded himself in silence.

As she took her last few steps toward him, Link broke his glare and lowered his face into his hands. He was thinking of everything he had lost: The Great Deku Tree, the Temple of Time, the capitol city, and Navi. His tears had dried up long ago, but the guilt and the pain still squeezed at his heart. Zelda carefully started again, "Link, I know a lot has happened, but we need to stay strong if we're going to-" but her voice was drowned out by a piercing ringing as a sudden and violent rage welled up inside of him.

His mind flashed: "What?! We're going to WHAT?! More plans, more tricks? How many more monsters have to be unleashed before she stops?!" Link clenched his hands into fists and pressed his knuckles against his own forehead. "Please...princess... just go." he growled. The girl froze. This is not how she imagined it would be. She had hoped Link would be happy to see her; that hope would return and they would find the way to defeat Gannondorf together.

She could see that he was in pain and wanted to comfort him. Zelda moved to sit beside him on the bed; even reaching to set a hand on his shoulder, but was interrupted by the sudden arrival of a messenger. "Your Highness," he said as he bowed, "our scouts report an enemy force has broken through our lines! They are moving toward the forbidden forest." Immediately Link leaped to his feet. His anger quickly vanished as terror for his home ripped through him. As they caught each other's eyes, Zelda knew what she had to do. "Prepare a relief-" she began, but was cut short by the arrival of Impa. "Your Grace, the Zora have reported that a large Gerudo force is moving on Kakariko Village, they cannot hold without immediate reinforcement!" Zelda looked from Impa to the messenger, and back again.

She opened her mouth several times to answer, but could not bring herself to a decision. Desperate, she looked back at Link. His anger had disappeared and the sorrowful pain in his heart was uncovered. He stared into her eyes, silently pleading for his home. "Your Grace, Kakariko cannot last without outside provisions. We have two battalions gathered there to protect the mountain, if we allow ourselves to be cut off, then we will lose the war!" Urged Impa.

Zelda closed her eyes and silently begged the Goddess to guide her. She could not sacrifice Hyrule for Link, but what had he already sacrificed for Hyrule? It was too much to bear. Unable to meet his gaze again, she said, "The Great Deku Tree is dead. We cannot spare our soldiers to save an empty forest. Send all but our reserves to Kakariko at once." Impa and the messenger quickly bowed, and turned to leave.

Her words struck Link like a hard blow to the chest. His heart pounded furiously, but his throat seemed to close up and he could not breathe. His most dreaded horror had now come true. Link's home, his friends, Saria, they would all be surely destroyed by Gannondorf's minions. The boy's mouth hung open in complete shock. "Link I'm sorry" Zelda murmured, turning her eyes down and darting glances at his feet, "I have to think of my kingdom." Everything the lad ever knew, everything he had ever loved was now laid bare for destruction.

The boy's mind was filled with images of the forest burning and of the Kokiri cowering in terror of the monsters Ganon had sent. But the princess' apology snapped his mind back into focus. His eyes quickly burned with hate filled rage as all of the shock and pain of the past weeks finally exploded. Seizing an earthen pitcher of water near his bed, Link threw it as hard as he could at Zelda. The princess ducked, shrieking, and begged Link to stop. The nurses nearby rushed forward and held Link back from her. Impa, charging back into the room, quickly ushered Zelda out of the infirmary. "You're sorry?!" Link screamed after her, "You're killing them! Do you hear me?! You're killing them princess! I _hate_ you!" His shouts echoed after her and slowly died away as she fled outside.

Finally stopping under the shade of a willow at the water's edge, Zelda's throat became tight and hoarse as she began to sob onto Impa's arm. "He hates me now...he will always hate me..." she whimpered as Impa gently held her. She tried to downplay the boy's anger, "He's just a foolish boy princess, maybe he is not what we thought he was... maybe we were wrong to trust him. To think, that a boy could use the Master Sword against a powerful warrior like Gannondorf..." Zelda angrily tore herself back from her attendant and struck her fist against Impa's armor, "No Impa! He was wrong to trust _us_! We failed _him_!"


	13. Purpose

**_Evening, August 15, 609 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 30_ **

**_Lake Hylia, South Central Hyrule_ **

The matron of the infirmary first tried to expel the boy from the temple. But the soldiers informed her that no quarters had been built for orphaned children and the army was unwilling to give up a spare tent for a criminal. Furious as she was, the matron could not bring herself to order the child out into the wilderness alone and during a war. So, instead, she commanded that Link be shackled with irons to his bed for the night. A guard was now posted inside the infirmary door, only a few paces from where he lay.

Though the past weeks had brought some of the most traumatic and painful events of his life so far, none could match the cold, ominous silence of that first night imprisoned. Link's anger slowly faded and a quivering fear took its place. He had lost control, lost himself in the moment, and now he was a prisoner. "What do they do to people who attack the royalty?" he wondered fearfully, "Will they... kill me?!" Despite the adventures he had taken and the fearsome beasts he had fought, Link was still a boy at heart. He shivered and silently sobbed throughout the night.

In the morning, when the first of the day nurses arrived, the boy was roughly unshackled and pulled onto his feet. "No more laying about!" shouted the nurse, "There's work to be done!" None gathered at the temple had ever heard of a Hylian disrespecting the princess, much less attacking her. These women were of a firm mind that the boy had gone too far, and needed to be seriously punished with hard labor. Bed pans, chamber pots, soiled bandages, rotten food and herbs, and even the cut portions of flesh taken from the patients – Link was commanded to clear all away and to burn them outside. The guard of the chamber – Link's "Jailer" as he came to think of him – followed the boy closely where ever he went. "Eyes on your work! BOY!" he growled as Link tried to look upwards at the sky beside his foul-smelling fire.

After the rotten and "unclean things" had been taken away. The boy was commanded to scrub every surface of the infirmary with a small brush and bucket of cold water. Link did not care though, his hatred toward Zelda burned even hotter as news from the wounded soldiers -who were arriving hourly- revealed that much of the forest had been ruthlessly burned by Ganon's forces before the Hylians were able to root them out. The attack on Kakariko had been a feign and the Gerudo swiftly retreated as the Hylian army approached. The force which attacked the forest, was little more than a raiding party: two dozen moblins. The scouts who had first spotted them, fled in terror and reported that a large company of monsters had broken through the front lines. Alfon was furious and ordered them flogged before the army as punishment for their cowardice and misdirection.

So, it was all for nothing. Link's home and friends had been burned to ash and Kakariko had never been in any real danger. Miscommunication, incompetence, and fear had crippled the Hylians and destroyed Link's faith in Zelda and her ministers. Impa too had grown rather distrustful of the boy, and often stopped by the infirmary to keep a close watch over him. He hated being watched by her, "Why don't they just send me away?! Why keep me here?!" he wondered angrily, but he never dared to speak to her.

Hours turned to days and the days slowly turned to weeks. Link was not able to guess how long he had been imprisoned within the temple as he was not permitted to leave the temple on his own, and the burning of the infirmary's refuse was only performed at night. Eventually, Link started to plan his escape. He would pretend to be asleep one night and wait for the guard to leave for his patrol. When the evening nurse was relieved and her replacement took stock of the supplies, Link would slip out into the Water Temple, find his gear, and make his escape.

From the lake, he would make his way back to the remains of the forest and find the Kokiri. In his mind, he did not let himself hope that they were alive as the pain of the loss would only be worse if he found them dead; but he had to know for certain whether or not they had escaped Ganon's wrath. Carefully, Link began collecting small scraps of dried foods and hiding them in an unsoiled bandage beneath his pillow. He was not sure how long it would take him to reach the forest, but he knew he would need provisions.

One night, three weeks after Link's imprisonment, the boy climbed into bed and practiced "falling asleep." A messenger came and asked for the guard to come to a soldier's meeting down the passage. Link faked a large yawn, and curled up with his blanket, pretending not to have heard. The guard narrowed his eyes at him for a moment, then turned and motioned to the nurse to watch him before he left. This was Link's chance! He gave a few minutes to make sure the guard was far away and carefully watched the nurse through nearly-closed eyes. She quickly assumed that he had fallen asleep, and walked to the far end of the room to check on a critical patient.

Link silently slipped out of bed and gathered his bundle. The infirmary door creaked dangerously as the boy peered out into the hall. It was dark, with only a flicker of torchlight at the far end, near a turn. Link closed his eyes and listened intently for the sound of any patrols, but heard nothing. He dashed down the dim passage and toward freedom. Turning this way and that, he frantically searched for any escape from the temple, but every path he took seemed to lead down into the Zoras' water.

Link's impatience would ultimately catch up with him as he raced through the temple, no longer listening for patrols. Several minutes after his escape from the infirmary, as he turned a sharp corner, he suddenly crashed into a large soldier traveling in the opposite direction. Tumbling backward, Link's bundle opened and his food was scattered over the stone floor. "Well young man, where do you think you are going?" A deep, stern voice asked. Link shook his head, and looked up at the man towering over him.

The torchlight in the hall was dim, but Link was able to make out that the man was tall and heavily built. His hair was black and hung neatly down to his shoulders. A short, well-trimmed black beard covered his face. In the low torchlight, Link could not see his eyes. Alfon was covered, from the neck down, in his heavy plate-mail armor and wore a new deep-blue cape; which hung to his ankles. "I...I..." the boy stammered, struggling to quickly make up a story that was believable.

The knight studied the boy and the provisions he had spilled onto the floor. "Sneaking out for a midnight snack?" he snapped. "No... I mean... Yes... I mean... Leave me alone!" shot Link as he got to his feet. The great man towered over the young boy for a moment before bending forward and looking Link directly in the eye. As he moved, the torchlight caught Alfon's brown eyes. For a moment, they seemed to flash a red-orange and he was shaken by the memory of Ganon in the temple. "That's not how this works lad." whispered the knight threateningly. Suddenly, Alfon shot a hand forward and grabbed the boy by the back of his tunic. Link was amazed at how fast the plated knight seemed to be able to move.

He tried to squirm free, but it was useless. The knight's grip was iron tight, and was easily strong enough to carry the boy all the way back to the infirmary with one hand. Alfon had been sent by Impa to speak with the boy about some serious matters, but found him missing from the infirmary. "It is a very serious charge to attack one's princess," he scolded, once he returned Link to his bed, "I believe they call it treason. Most men would be executed for such an act!" Link remained silent now, staring at the wall near his bed. "Fortunately for you," the knight continued, "Her Highness has commuted your sentence to that of servitude."

Link drew a deep breath and rolled his eyes, "More of her plans." he thought to himself. "It seems, our princess has seen fit to make you my squire." Alfon finished. This was unexpected, and Link turned to look up at him, "Squire?" he echoed. "Yes," answered Alfon, "apparently executing you would doom us all, though the princess and Lady Impa will not say why." He stared down at the boy with a skeptical eye, "I have _not yet_ agreed to take you. Have you had any training? Do you have any skill with a blade?" he questioned.

Link carefully searched the knight's tone for humor, but could not tell if Alfon meant it as a joke. Yes, Link was a boy, but he had pulled the Master Sword. "You took my sword." He answered bitterly. "Ah yes, that was something." replied Alfon with a light chuckle, " _The_ Master Sword, in the hands of a boy. You should know that the sword is not _yours_ , but her Highness'." Link scowled at Alfon, "The sword serves whomever pulls it from the pedestal. Only its master can wield it." "Well, the sword _'allows'_ her highness to lift it." Alfon said, mockingly, as he poured himself a drink of water from an unclaimed pitcher across from Link's bed. While he drank, the boy wondered at what he had said, "Is it true? Can Zelda use the sword? If she can then why did I have to pull it?!"

When Alfon had finished his water, he went on, "I asked Lady Impa how a child could wield _the Sword of Evil's Bane_? She said to me: 'Her Grace is not _master_ of the sword, but a _friend_ of it.'... Now what do you suppose that means?" Link didn't particularly care what Impa meant. His mind was still trapped on Zelda carrying the sword. The pain and sorrow of the past weeks gathered together into a hard stone in Link's stomach. Everything could have been avoided - but it wasn't - and now _he_ had lost everything. Alfon took a few steps toward the boy and reached to put his hand on Link's shoulder. Angrily, Link smacked it away, which greatly irritated the knight.

"You've got a good deal of hate in you boy!" Alfon shot, "That's not going to do anyone any good!" "I don't care," growled Link in return. The knight ground his teeth and glared at the boy. He knew the child had suffered, but he had suffered too - everyone in Hyrule was suffering. What was worse: Sir Alfon was a knight. _The last knight_ of the kingdom. Rather than spending time trying to console a sullen brat, he felt he could be better used fighting Ganon's forces and trying to reclaim the castle. But Zelda was adamant, and Impa reluctantly agreed, the boy _had to be_ kept with them – and it was crucial that Alfon take him as his apprentice.

"Alright," he began again after a deep breath, "You want to hate everyone, that's fine. I'll teach you how to use that hate to kill." Link's ears twitched in surprise and he turned to look back at the knight - he didn't expect such an aggressive response. "You'll kill and kill until you've burned all of that hate out... and then... you'll _die_ because you don't have any hate left!" The boy just stared at him. The thought of killing or even of just dying appealed to him. It would release him from this fear and pain that he had been trapped with.

"Or..." the knight shifted, giving him a side-long glance, "You can set aside that hate and let me teach you how to fight, how to serve, and how to win." Link drew a long breath. He was thinking of Navi again and the Great Deku Tree. That dark stone still sat in the pit of his stomach, but he knew they would be ashamed of him if he became hate-driven and reckless. He also knew that if he had managed to escape from the guards, he would likely only die alone, somewhere in the ruined forest - if he even made it that far. After several long seconds, Link mumbled, "I already know how to fight." The great knight smiled at him, "Then on to serving!"

The next morning, the pair were summoned to Zelda's throne room. Link was directed to kneel before her, and Alfon to rest his hands on Link's shoulders. Holding the Master Sword out, over Link's head, she began: "Link, of the Kokiri Forest in the Realm of Hyrule, do you swear fealty and service to the Kingdom of Hyrule? To fight, and if called upon, to die to protect her? To serve her people in all things until Lord or Captain release you from this charge?" Link forced himself to only hear the words. He hated the sound of Zelda's voice now and desperately wanted to shout at her, but he just stared straight ahead answered, "I swear." Forcing his own anger out of his mind was easier when he reminded himself that Alfon was going to help him fight Ganon -to get revenge for all that he had lost- and that was all that mattered.

Two soldiers stepped forward and laid a small wooden shield, edged with steel, and a small mail shirt beside the boy. The princess continued, "Do you Link, soldier of Hyrule, commit yourself to this knight? To serve has his squire; binding yourself to his teachings? To serve beside him in battle, and to come to his aid whenever he calls, lest death take you from this world?" Again, without meeting Zelda's eye he replied, "I swear."

Zelda now turned her attention to Alfon, "Do you Alfon, son of Duron, Knight of Hyrule, accept this man as your squire? Do you pledge to guide him in this conflict? To teach him the martial discipline, the ways of the light, and the ways of the Goddess Hylia? To temper him in the knight's code; serving the Kingdom of Hyrule?" The great knight looked down at the boy, "I accept his life into my hands and these charges into my heart, your highness. His health, is my health. His life, my life. This is my brother, and I will always keep him, This I swear." He gently squeezed Link's shoulders - he wasn't alone anymore.

The princess now lowered the sword to the floor and rested her hands on the guards. Now it was Impa's turn to speak, "I Impa, Minister-Regent of Hyrule, accept these oaths pledged before me and name you, Link, Squire to Knight-Lieutenant Alfon. Serve him and this kingdom well." Finally, Zelda finished, "I Zelda, Sovereign Princess of Hyrule, accept your life into my hands and command you to defend this kingdom with every ounce of your will until this evil is vanquished or...or..." she hesitated on the last words and Link slowly looked up at her. "...or death, take you from my service." She quickly finished. The ceremony complete, Link rose, lifted his mail and shield and turned to Alfon, "What now?" he asked. "Now, you learn how to become a knight." he replied, smiling.

They turned to leave when Zelda suddenly spoke again, "Kneel, Sir Alfon." Alfon and Link turned back, surprised, to Zelda. "Your Grace, perhaps we should-" began Impa, but Zelda cut her off, "Kneel!" The knight, kneeling, gazed curiously at the princess. She lifted the sword again and rested its point on his shoulder. Though he said nothing, Alfon was amazed that he barely felt the weight of blade on his shoulder. "I, Zelda, Princess of Hyrule, name thee Lord-Marshal of the Armies of Hyrule and Captain of his Majesty's Royal Knights. Fight hard and well, for your kingdom has need of you."

The room stood frozen at her sudden decision. Impa raised a finger and opened her mouth to protest, but Zelda stopped her with a glare. "Y-your Highness...I...I..." the knight stammered - shocked by the sudden promotion. She turned to him and smiled, "I know you can do it" she seemed to say. His composure quickly returned and he answered, "I accept these charges into my heart, and pledge to serve this kingdom, my lady, until your Highness releases me, or death take me." The princess lifted the sword, touched it to his other shoulder, and withdrew. Moving as one, the chamber guards knelt with their hands across their chests, and cried out "Hail! Lord-Marshal!" "Now," finished Zelda, "Win this war."


	14. A New Life

**_September 12, 609 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 58_ **

**_Lake Hylia, South Central Hyrule_ **

The carefree days of childhood were gone for both Princess Zelda and Link. With the deaths of the reigning monarchs and most of the officer corps; all now turned to the remaining member of Hyrule's royal family and her minister-attendant for leadership. Link's daily life was quickly filled with lessons from his master, guard duty, and army chores – which Link hated the most. Fortunately, his new position allowed him to escape the damp, stale air of the temple as he was now quartered in a small tent outside – next to Alfon's. Most of the soldiers that had gathered at the lake either took Link's presence as a bad omen - drafting children into the army was a sign of desperation - or as some kind of pitiful joke. But their commander would not tolerate the gloom. "He is my squire and a knight in training! Leave it at that!" he would snap if he heard them whispering about the boy.

Every morning, before dawn, Link was expected to prepare his master's breakfast and wake him when it was ready. While he ate, Link would shine Alfon's armor, sharpen his sword, or ready his horse if he were planning to ride. Unfortunately, his master was disappointed to learn that the new squire had little to no experience with Hylian cooking. The Kokiri flourished on simple foods that could easily be gathered in the forest: nuts, berries, and apples. Link's first apprenticeship was to work beside the camp's cook for several days to learn what he could about the 'proper fare' that a knight deserved.

Thankfully, the boy was a quick and eager student. After only a handful of attempts, he managed to create a passable breakfast for his master. Afterward, Link continued to assist the cook frequently as a part of his regular 'chores.' The cook, a portly, older Hylian named Gamji, was very pleased to have the boy's help and made good use of it. From the moment Link arrived in the tent until he departed well after dark, he would furiously peel potatoes, chop vegetables, fetch and boil large pots of water, and carefully portion out meat according to his instructions. Though the work moved at a very intense pace, the cook was very kind and encouraging to Link and often waved him over to teach him some small secret that was essential to preparing the dish. "A good meal prepares for a good day!" Gamji explained, "But an exquisite meal, can save even a condemned man! Remember this when you cook for your master!" he finished with a wink.

On other days, Link might be sent to the blacksmith's forge, the tanner's tent, or the stables. In the beginning, he didn't mind the work. The squire was willing to do whatever the knight asked as long as it brought him closer to fighting Ganon. As several weeks of monotonous work passed, however, Link became restless. "When do we fight?" he asked his master. "When you are ready." Alfon replied, not looking up from his meal. "Will we kill Ganon by shining our armor?" Link pressed, frustrated, as he polished Alfon's breastplate on the floor of the tent. Alfon threw Link a glare of warning, "To be a proper soldier, you must know how to care for your gear – a rusted breastplate is far weaker than one that has been kept clean and whole! A dull sword will kill its own master long before its enemies. Now, stop complaining and _work_!" Link did his best to trust the knight and for several more days he devoted himself to his work assignments without question, but the frustration kept returning.

After sunrise, Alfon would normally inspect the camp and oversee the morning muster of the soldiers. Link would follow him, and act as his scribe; noting the condition of the camp, the soldier's equipment (if they had any), and the fitness of the soldiers themselves. The Marshal would then order the different companies to different tasks for the day: guard duty, foraging, patrol near-to and far from the lake, and several others. Then he would either ride out with the patrols to check the situation at the front or meet with Princess Zelda and Impa. Link was not allowed to attend either of these, and would be sent to work in the camp. By late evening, once the young squire had been dismissed from his assignment, he would prepare Alfon's dinner and talk with him while he ate. Most of these talks involved different lectures on knighthood and soldiery: ethics, conduct while at court, military organization, how to bandage various wounds, etc. But sometimes, Alfon would be too tired to lecture and would ask Link about himself instead.

Link described his adventures first, hoping to impress the knight. Perhaps he would be allowed to go to combat if Alfon knew how strong he really was. His master was entertained by the stories, but Link was unable to tell if Alfon believed him or not. "It sounds like you have gained some experience fighting beasts..." the knight mused, "I suppose that puts you ahead of most squires." He finished with a smile. Alfon revealed to Link that he had been born and raised as a soldier in Hyrule. He came from a line of knights and soldiers and was immensely proud of it. Alfon had been a squire himself at the start of the Hyrulean Civil War, 13 years prior, and became a knight near its end. The boy would press his master for stories of his career, but Alfon was careful not to describe too much bloodshed. He was starting to like his new ward, and hoped that it might be possible to end the war without it harming him too much.

Eventually, Link told Alfon of the Kokiri forest and the Great Deku Tree. The great knight was fascinated that Link had actually dwelt within that forest. "It has long been said that the Kokiri Forest is forbidden to Hylians! That swift death would come to any who entered!" he exclaimed. His squire thought the legend was silly, "the Great Deku Tree wouldn't hurt anyone.... Not any good people at least." He replied. "Well..." started Alfon with a yawn, "it matters little now... much of the forest was burned in the raid and you said yourself the Deku tree is dead now." Link begged Alfon to let him ride with a patrol near the forest, but he would not allow it. Instead Link was forced to get small bits of information from the other soldiers who had rotated in and out of duty near the lake. Unfortunately, the Hylians did not make contact with the Kokiri, and Link had no idea if Saria had survived.

Link's new life beside the lake remained this way for many weeks. Unfortunately, despite his hard work, he was seen around the camp as little more than an errand-boy by the other soldiers. He carried baskets of food to the cook's tent or unloaded supplies from wagons and stored them where he was instructed to. Many times, if Alfon was not near, soldiers would try to order the boy to scrape the mud from their boots or wash the blood from their clothes. Inside, Link was furious at these men for how they treated him. He had saved the Gorons from starvation and rescued Princess Ruto from the belly of Lord Jabu-Jabu! But, even with these accomplishments, Link could still feel the stinging shame of his failure in the temple. He was still certain that he was the secret cause of Hyrule's misery and that he had no right to correct the soldiers around him. Captain Corin, however, felt very differently.

One morning, after Alfon had left to patrol the plains north of the lake, Link was unloading a supply wagon when two soldiers approached him. "You there, boy!" one called gruffly, "stop what you are doing and fetch me some water! I am thirsty." The soldier's companion snickered to himself as Link turned a disapproving eye to them. "I am Marshal Alfon's Squire... go fetch your own water!" he spat as he returned to his work. "Oh he's a squire-boy then!" One soldier said to the other, "Well where's your sword little squire! Can't go protecting your Lord without a-" but just at that moment, Captain Corin - the militia captain who had been the first to arrive at the lake - came upon the scene. "You there!" he shouted at the two soldiers, "get back to your patrols and leave the Marshal's ward alone! If I see either of you bothering the squire again, I'll have you in the stocks! Understood?!" The two men quickly snapped to attention, shouted "Yes, Captain!" and hurried back to their patrol route. When they had passed out of sight, Corin looked down at Link, "Why do you let them do that to you lad? I've been watching you for several days now. If you're going to serve in the King's Army, you need to be made of sterner stuff than that!"

Link set down the basket he was carrying, and looked up at the captain. His expression was serious, but there was a soft kindness in his eyes. He wasn't berating the boy; he was looking out for him. "All they see is a boy in a costume," Link began, plucking at the mail shirt hanging from his shoulders, "if they only ever see me polish armor or unload wagons, then that is all I will ever be to them. I can't earn their respect by shouting." The captain straightened up and raised his eyebrows, "You're a sharp one lad!" he replied, "But I hear that there is more to you than meets the eye!" A small feeling of dread came over Link as the captain said this. He feared that word of the events at the capitol had gotten out. He would be the laughing stock of the lake: the boy who drew the Master Sword and immediately failed to use it. "I-I don't know what you mean." he stammered, evasively. "Oh, come now lad! The Zora told us all about it! You fought some fearsome beast that was laying siege to Zora's Domain from the mountain streams beyond! Take some pride boy! Most of these men have never even had to run a wolf off of their farms!"

The captain was smiling broadly now; wearing a look of pride as he spoke to the little squire. At first, Link was relieved, then a little embarrassed at the story. "It wasn't so bad..." he began, "I just... did what I had to." Corin slapped Link on the arm, "Good Lad!" he shouted, "Come on, let's find you a sword!" "I had a sword when Lord Alfon brought me here!" Link answered quickly, "It was the sword of my people... I think Lady Impa has it." So, the two marched off to the temple and requested an audience with the Minister. Link was commanded to wait in the passage, but the captain was directed in to the Princess' throne room. For a brief moment, Link caught Zelda's bright blue eye glancing out at him, just as the door closed.

After several earnest pleas, Corin retrieved Link's pack and sword from Impa -who had held them since the night Alfon brought him in- and granted Link leave to wear it about the lake. "Why is my pack empty?!" Link asked, dejected, when Captain Corin returned. "Funny you should mention that lad; the lady knew you would ask about it. She commanded me to tell you that 'All your pack contained, will be returned to you at the proper time', whatever that means." Now, when Link traveled around the lake, the soldiers and camp workers stared curiously at the small sword he now bore across his back. As promised by Corin, from that moment on the soldiers left Link alone.

During the nights, Link would lie awake; listening to the sounds of the camp. The wind rustling over the tents, the splash of the water at the lake's edge, and the faint tramp of the guard's boots on patrol could all be clearly heard. Sometimes, after a company had returned from a long posting at the front; music and cheering would echo out from one of the new buildings added to the growing "Lake Town." Telma's Tavern was built out of an abandoned cottage near the lakeside. The princess, Impa, and the Zora all objected, but Corin & Alfon had insisted that such a place would allow the troops to relax and restore their morale. Telma herself, had been an Innkeeper and bar matron in Castle Town. She and her staff were away on a supply run during the Gerudo attack. As Alfon predicted, her new tavern quickly became a place that every soldier visited when he was not on duty. Even the great marshal himself would venture there - when he had the time - to be with his men and to see Telma.

In the beginning, Link was directed to wait for his master outside. But before long, the squire would sneak inside and find Alfon and his men drinking and laughing together. When Alfon finally caught him, he began to shout and order the boy back outside. But Telma swiftly intervened, gracefully swooping across the tavern and scooping Link up in her arms. The matron set him onto a tall stool at her bar. "Oh Alfon, don't be cruel!" she mused as she brushed Link's cheeks with her soft hands, "Look at him! He's _adorable_!"

Telma was tall for a Hylian woman, with tanned skin and reddish-brown hair. She enjoyed wearing fashionable dresses and exotic make-ups – both of which complimented her voluptuous curves well. Her appearance - as well as her persona - had been carefully crafted to charm and attract the widest array of customers to her tavern. She always referred to each of her patrons "honey" or "darling", while speaking in a warm, amorous manner. Despite the flirtatious charm, she let no man touch her freely – save for the respectful kiss upon her hand. Telma possessed a terrifying temper and remarkable strength. Whether one failed to pay for his ale or started some trouble with her staff, the beautiful matron was more than capable of lifting an armored soldier out of his seat and throwing him in the cold night outside. Turning a fierce eye upon Lord Alfon she would then shout, "Your damned men are going to be the death of me!" but he would just smile and calm her with his own charm. Link noticed that the great warrior often had a rather powerful twinkle in his eye whenever Telma was near him.

Once the drinks and food had been served to the men and she became certain her staff could "keep the place", the two would sit at the end of the bar and quietly talk. Sometimes, Alfon would motion her to come close, and whisper something into her ear; throwing Telma into a fit of giggles and playfully slapping at his arm. Normally, she wouldn't allow children in her bar after dark, but she was willing to make an exception for Link – or perhaps Alfon. After providing a small supper and cup of milk for the boy, Link would be asked to keep an eye on the more excited – or drunk – patrons and make sure that Telma was warned if trouble were brewing. She didn't pay him, but it was better than watching her and Alfon stare at one another and whisper to each other.

The squire realized that if Telma were happy, then his master would be happy, so he always agreed to help her as she requested. The beautiful matron would always smile warmly, lean forward, and kiss his forehead with a loving, "My little soldier." Link would always blush and scrub furiously to try to remove her lipstick. But the other men in the tavern never laughed at him – the boy was the only one who could get a kiss out of her!


	15. The Ritual

**_Evening, August 20, 609 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 35_ **

**_Hyrule Castle, Central Hyrule  
_ **

Several days had passed since the raid upon the Forbidden Forest. The Gerudo host, which had feigned an attack on Kakariko Village and diverted the Hylian Reinforcements away from the true target, quickly returned to the damaged capitol city to celebrate their success. Under the dark cloud which hung over the town, the Gerudo were granted leave to explore and plunder as they wished. The great tribe of female warriors now selfishly ate, drank, and reviled in the riches of the Hylian people. Nabooru, greatest of the women and Gannondorf's lieutenant, now draped herself lazily over the throne of Hyrule, drinking a large goblet of the King's wine. Agahnim entered the throne-room and cast a disapproving look upon her.

The wizard had appeared within the Gerudo's desert fortress only a day after their Chieftain was supposed to spring his trap. Upon first sight, Nabooru threatened to kill the trespasser and place his head on a pike for daring to intrude where no man - save only Gannondorf - was permitted to be. But the wizard was crafty, and easily dodged about the room with his magic when the guards attempted to take him. He explained that he was a loyal servant of "Lord Gannondorf" and had been sent to bring the Gerudo with all speed back to their new castle. "All the lands of Hyrule will be laid open for your taking! But you must hurry! The Hylian survivors will be quick to recover and counter-attack! We need you at the castle." He promised. Nabooru was wary of the stranger, but what he promised was too tempting to overlook.

As quickly as they could manage, the Gerudo fortress was emptied of all arms, stores, and inhabitants and the entire Gerudo tribe set out for the western pass that led into Hyrule. The great host stretched for several miles, but moved at an impressive speed. Within two days, the ruined Citadel of Aryn came and passed, and soon the Gerudo were marching onto soft green pastures. The elder Gerudo and veterans of the Hylian War still remembered the fertile green lands, but the young and the children had never seen such lush beauty. They laughed and played - rolling in the soft grass - as the host marched forward. None, not even Nabooru, seemed to realize that they were walking to their deaths.

Now drunk, fat, and overconfident with their easy victory, the Gerudo sat complacent in the Hylian's former homes. The war was won! Their Chieftain had delivered the kingdom to them just as he promised - but where was the Great Thief? In all of their time at the capitol, only Agahnim ever claimed to have met with Gannondorf and Nabooru was becoming rather curious about where he was hiding. "Tell me wizard," she began, with a slurred voice, "where is our Great Lord? He has not come down to celebrate with his tribe!" Agahnim, stepping up to the throne and firmly pushed Nabooru's leg off of the armrest. "You should show your lord's throne more respect, woman!" he hissed. The Gerudo matron narrowed her eyes, but smiled broadly up at him with a feminine sigh, "So... you have noticed that I am a woman! Ha ha... I could have sworn you were dead under there wizard." she said as she gestured toward his scarf and robes. Indeed, Agahnim could see that Nabooru was an incredibly beautiful woman - barely clothed by Hylian standards - but she was right, he no longer felt the desires of Hylian men. His only wish was to serve his God without hesitation.

"Our Lord is rather busy with his affairs. He will rejoin the tribe when he sees fit." he answered coldly. Nabooru let out a soft little whimper as she traced a small circle with her fingernail at the top of her chest, "I hope he returns soon." she mused at the wizard. But Agahnim, immune to her distractions, continued, "I have a mission for you to perform tomorrow. We need to take control of the large ranch just behind the Hylian lines." Nabooru, frustrated at his refusal to play her game, sat upright on the throne and waved her hand at him. "I'll send a raiding party to destroy it in the morning." "No!" snapped the wizard, "Our Lord commands that the ranch be taken... peaceably and intact." She wrinkled her nose and glared suspiciously at him, "What are you suggesting?" she asked. "There is a man there... a rather broken man. Who could be quite useful in delivering the ranch to us without incident." He answered with a sly smile, "Lord Gannondorf commands that you... ' _encourage_ ' this man to join with us."

The woman made a disgusted face as she stood and walked to the doorway of the throne room. "I am the greatest of the Gerudo thieves, not some whore that massages Hylian men for their money!" she snapped as she passed the wizard. Agahnim's eyes narrowed, "You would dare to deny the command of our Lord?!" he hissed venomously, bringing her to a halt. She despised the wizard; He was arrogant, devious, and seemed to be completely immune to her charms and persuasions. But worst of all: he was not even a Gerudo. She didn't know what he was precisely, but she knew that he was not one of them. However, he _was_ her only link to her lord, and he _had_ delivered on every promise made so far. She would have to continue to obey him if she ever wanted to be close to Gannondorf again. The Matron of Thieves turned and looked over her shoulder at the wizard. "A broken man you say? Broken men are easy to... 'encourage.'" she answered with false enthusiasm. Agahnim's expression relaxed, but his voice remained arrogant and commanding, "Be sure that you are thorough. We want full commitment on his part! No matter what we ask him to do!"

After their meeting in the throne room, he instructed her to gather the tribe and bring them to the ruined Temple of Time. "Our Lord wishes to address all of you." he said with a wicked smile. Once Nabooru and the other Gerudo gathered where the ruined sanctuary once stood, whispers darted back and forth about the reason for the meeting and whether or not Gannondorf would really come. The white marble stones of the Temple's floor were now blackened and blood-stained. Every wall, gate, and supporting column were missing entirely, save for the archway of stone that held the door of time. Here, a dense blackness swirled and rippled menacingly at the gathered women. As the uneasy Gerudo stared up at it, Agahnim, Koume, and Kotake stepped to the front of the gathering and turned back to face their audience.

"We have come!" Agahnim cried out, raising his hands above his head, "To offer our obedience, our lives, our very souls, to our Great Lord Gannondorf! May the Dark Lord look upon us with favor and grant us purpose in his great plan!" As he spoke, Agahnim and the twin elders, slowly turned to face the swirling blackness behind them. Several of the Gerudo covered their faces with their hands and struggled to contain their laughter - the wizard's theatrics were unexpected. After a dramatic pause, he cried out again, "Command us oh Lord! Bend us to your will! We stand ready to obey!" Many women now were snorting and coughing with open laughter as Nabooru stared in disbelief at the man she had been following for the past few weeks. "He's completely mad." she muttered to herself as the dark portal began to shift and ripple differently. " **You have called**..." came a deep and thunderous voice, " **and I have heard, faithful servant...** " All now gasped as the swirling cloud cleared and the portal became as the surface of a lake at night, clear but dark. Beyond its surface, a great and menacing form stood holding a silver trident, with two burning red eyes. " **Speak and your god will hear.** " the voice finished.

Agahnim threw himself to the ground and prostrated himself before the dark figure. Koume and Kotake bowed so low, their noses nearly touched the stones at their feet. "My Lord!" cried Agahnim, "As you have commanded, I have gathered the mighty tribe of the Gerudo. They await your bidding my lord!" Ganon drew a deep breath, " **You have done well, my faithful servant. Your master is pleased.** " The wizard lowered his face to the stone and shook with joy. " **My children** ," Ganon began to the gathered women, " **You have endured much. But your pain and suffering shall be rewarded one hundred fold. Behold! I am your chieftain, Gannondorf, reborn with the golden power. You may now know me as... Ganon, Guardian and Master of Creation!** " Every Gerudo, save Koume and Kotake, stood horrified at what they saw. Their chieftain had become some kind of monster and his lieutenant had led them to this ruined city, far from their homes and familiar lands. The beast, sensing their unease, began again, " **My children, do not fear. I will create a new realm for the Gerudo. A paradise of peace and endless joy. I wish for all of you to share in this and to escape the cruel world of the Hylians.** "

Even in their desert, the Gerudo had heard tales of the Hylian mythical 'Sacred Realm' and all now believed that Ganon was going to deliver it to them. As he spoke, a calming warmth seemed to seep into their minds and cloud their judgment. "Ganon is my God... Ganon will care for me..." was a repeating thought amongst the women - even Nabooru. "My Lord!" cried Agahnim once again, "What is thy command?" " **Send twenty of your young and strong through the doorway to join me. Together, we will build this new paradise for all of my faithful."** Ganon responded, his eyes burning brighter. A sudden and fierce desire to join him in the dark world flooded over all of the women. They began to murmur and whisper, "Pick me, my lord... Pick me!" Agahnim rose, and walked among the tribe, selecting the youngest -and most beautiful- women and directed them to stand before the portal.

Nabooru watched the women pass with bitter jealousy. She had been Gannondorf's consort before the surrender to the Hylians. Why was she not summoned to join him? Once the twenty were chosen, Agahnim waved his hands over the girls and recited several incantations and strange spells that the Gerudo did not understand. "Now, rid yourselves of all earthly possessions! For you cannot defile the Lord's new realm with the impurities of this world!" he commanded. Jewelry and weapons fell to the ground but when the wizard continued to wait, Koume and Kotake drew small daggers and began to cut the clothing from the women's bodies. "You must be absolutely pure to be in the presence of our Lord!" he mused.

The women felt no shame and made no attempt to conceal themselves as the power rippling from the dark world grew in intensity. Slowly, one by one, the women stepped toward the gateway. Agahnim poured a deep red liquid over their hair as they passed him and entered the dark world. Tears of happiness began streaming down Nabooru's face, "I am so happy for them! They are truly the luckiest among us!" she thought as the final woman passed through. But as the tanned flesh of her back disappeared, the sound of a distant scream echoed back from within. For a moment, the hazy warmth seemed to shake from her mind. "What was that? Did she..." the Gerudo wondered, but the stupefying haze returned and she smiled blissfully for the women that were now serving their god.


	16. A Dark Messenger

Lake Hylia was set in the southern lowlands of Hyrule. On three sides, sheer cliffs rose which acted as a natural barrier to outsiders. The North side, facing the kingdom, was guarded by several rocky hills which were very difficult to travel. Ages ago, the King's stonemasons had carved a wide roadway through those hills, and down to the lakeside. On that roadway, in line with the hills, a small iron gate had been erected - to protect the kingdom' chief supply of water and fish. Now that gate remained closed and was reinforced with a bulwark of stone and wood. Short watchtowers were quickly built on both sides and archers stood watch night and day for any approaching threat. Once he was armed again, gate-duty was the closest Alfon would allow his squire to approach the danger of the war. Still too small to draw a soldier's bow, Link's task was to act as a runner for the guards and raise the alarm if they saw anything coming. It was here, 6 months after his arrival at the lake, that Link re-entered the war.

**_Dawn, January 17, 610 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 186_ **

**_Main Gate, Lake Hylia_ **

It was an early winter morning and an icy breeze blew over the guards from the lake's surface. Link shivered and drew his fur-lined cloak closer about him. Everything in sight was covered in a blanket of grayish snow; giving the land a look of pale dead skin. The young squire had spent hundreds of hours on the watchtower, staring into the nothingness. His boredom and impatience slowly rising as the long, cold days dragged by. The war had continued its stalemate as the Hylians failed to advance in every campaign and Ganon's forces remained patient within the castle -except for the odd night raid.

Link was forced to work out his frustrations through his exercises with Alfon: Physical conditioning, hand to hand combat, swordplay, and other martial disciplines; but these long watches on the wall were steadily becoming too much for him. He daydreamed of slipping away from the lake and returning to the Forbidden Forest. He would find Saria and the other Kokiri alive in some remote refuge in the Lost Woods. But here, the daydreams usually fell apart. The Kokiri could not leave the forest and Link would be unwilling to stay with them while the war raged outside.

The squire was brought out of his dream by a nudge from the archer beside him. In the distance, on the road, a small black spot crept over the horizon. Tiny at first, it became larger and larger as it approached, eventually taking the shape of a man. Sometimes messenger-riders would appear unexpectedly and the guards would shout their challenges and exchange the pass-words with them before opening the gate. Very few, however, ever approached the gate on foot and this man seemed to stagger and stumble. "Something is wrong..." muttered the soldier, "He's hurt."

Indeed, the man swayed and stumbled; holding his right arm under his left as if he had suffered some serious wound. "Go for the healers boy! Go!" urged the archer as others cried out to the man to halt and declare himself. Link quickly climbed down from the tower and ran as fast as he could back toward the lake. He had only managed to cover half of the distance before the sound of a moblin's horn shook the air around him. Looking back, he could hear the clash of steel coming from the road. Several arrows began streaking back-and-forth between the towers and the attackers outside the gate. The boy frantically tried to decide what he should do: run for the healers as ordered or return to the gate and fight. A loud scream from one of the soldiers made Link's mind up. He charged back toward the gate and drew his sword.

A small squad of moblins had followed the wounded man and ambushed the gate when it was opened for him. Two were on horseback, firing arrows at the guard towers, while three more attacked the guards on foot. The hylian, who had opened the gates, now lay dead with several arrows stuck in his chest. The archers in the towers were frantically trying to shoot the mounted moblins and fend off the others climbing the ladders. The beasts took no notice of Link as he approached. He charged toward the nearest attacker, which was attempting to climb the western watchtower's ladder.

Without hesitation, Link buried his sword into the moblin's back and cried out - He was finally fighting back! The monster shrieked as black blood spewed out over the boy's arm. He rapidly drew the blade out and hacked off its head in a clean stroke. As its body slumped to the ground, Link's heart was flooded with adrenaline - he did it! He killed one of Ganon's monsters! An enraged roar alerted him to the other two moblins close by. They had given up on the towers and now charged toward him. Ducking, rolling, and dodging, the squire desperately avoided being sliced or bludgeoned by the beasts. They were much larger than him and possessed incredible strength. His only hope was to tire them out and to wait for an opening to attack. As Link distracted the two moblins on the ground, the Hylian archers were free to focus on the mounted menace outside the gate, who soon fell or fled.

But the boy's strategy did not work very well. The moblins seemed to also have great stamina and he soon found himself panting hard for breath. He was slowing and their weapons began to clip his mail shirt and cloak as he struggled to continue dodging their attacks. Suddenly, an arrow from the watchtowers struck one in the back. It was an opening! Link lunged forward and sliced the monster's neck open. More black blood gurgled out as the beast sank to the ground and Link turned to face the final enemy.

The last moblin, slightly larger than the other two and wearing a mail tunic, gave a furious roar as it swung a heavy two-handed hammer down upon him. With no time to dodge, Link lifted his shield and attempted to block the attack. The hammer struck his shield squarely and shattered it to pieces. The boy felt a surge of pain and an odd "pop" come from his forearm as he was knocked backward. Arrows continued to rain down upon the beast - sticking into its arm and back - but failed to draw its attention. It bore down on the injured squire, fangs bared, ready to kill the one that had defeated its comrades. Link, pushing himself to a seated position with his good arm, tried to back away from the moblin. He had dropped his sword, which now lay behind his advancing enemy. It raised its hammer again and Link tried to shield himself with his other arm - this was the end.

The horn-call had been a foolish assumption of victory by the moblins. They believed that if they took the hylian guards by surprise, that the gate would quickly fall and their raiding party could enter to the lakeside and cause great harm. But the guards' resistance had proven more stubborn than they expected and bought precious time. Alfon, and the other soldiers by the lake had heard the horn and rushed forward with weapons in hand. As two dozen more mounted moblins charged the outer gate, Alfon and his company reached Link and the inner bulwark. With a cry of "For the Goddess!" from Alfon, the company charged forward with an angry roar. The moblin-captain standing over Link turned and attempted to fight the great knight, but was swiftly cloven in two and collapsed. The two forces slammed into one another between the gates to the lake. Though the moblins had attacked the gate by surprise, they were now vastly outnumbered and soon withdrew to the north.

Once he was confident the enemy had fled for good, Alfon hurried back to Link. The boy was lying on his back beside the dead moblin captain, sobbing in great pain. His left arm had been shattered by the hammer-strike and a small piece of bone now stuck out through his flesh. The Marshal sheathed his sword and quickly lifted his ward up, shouting, "Make way, wounded man here! Make way!" He rushed Link back to the temple and laid him in the infirmary. The boy had tried several times to tell Alfon he was sorry, but his master just hushed him, "it's alright lad, you did well! You did well!" The healers gave the injured squire a drink to dull his senses and set to work on his arm. The last thing Link remembered seeing was Alfon kneeling beside his bed. The marshal did his best to remain calm and stoic for his soldiers, but his eyes betrayed how worried he was for the boy and his hands were shaking.

Link slipped in and out of consciousness throughout the next day. Sometimes the nurses would check the brace on his arm. Other times, someone would gently urge him to drink from a bowl pressed to his lips. Once, he heard voices speaking nearby. His senses were still too blurry to catch much, but he was certain he had heard Zelda's voice. On the third day, he woke - groggy but able to grasp his surroundings. The room was dimly lit by a few candles, but Link could see the nurse on duty at the far end of the room, checking other patients. Alfon was seated on a wooden stool next to Link's bed - his chin resting on his breastplate as he softly snored. He had not left his squire's side once since the boy arrived.

Across the room, in the bed opposite Link, was another badly injured man. Link tried to lift himself up, but his left arm throbbed painfully and he felt very wobbly and weak. His master jolted awake at his movement and looked down at him. "Well, here he is!" he smiled, "Back from fighting monsters and chasing nightmares eh lad?" Unable to steady himself properly, Link gave up the effort and lay his head back down on his pillow. "What... happened?" he asked after a few moments' rest. "Oh, don't worry about that now lad. Just rest and get well!" Alfon replied, tussling the boy's hair. But his squire was adamant, "No... I need to know... what happened? Is everyone alright?" The marshal considered him for a moment and decided that the boy wouldn't rest unless Alfon told him. "The moblins attacked. We lost the gate guard, but you and the archers were able to keep the others busy while the rest of us charged up. There were more moblins waiting outside, but they did not make it to the lake."

Link closed his eyes and felt relieved. He grieved the loss of the guard with the gate-keys, but he was glad the enemy did not make it to the townspeople beside the lake. "The archers told me what you did son." His master continued, "That was very brave." The details of the fight came rushing back into Link's mind. The roaring moblins, the black blood, the screams of the wounded guard; it was a terrifying scene. How did he do it? How did he keep moving and fighting? After a moment Link mumbled, "I... disobeyed orders." Alfon looked confused - the soldiers at the gate had said nothing about any wrongdoing on Link's part. "They told me to go for the healers when we saw the hurt man... I ran back and fought the moblins instead" Link admitted. "Ahh," said Alfon, looking over at the wounded man opposite Link, "Well... healers weren't what we needed at the gate at the moment. We needed soldiers." The squire opened his eyes again and looked up at his master. Alfon had a sly smile waiting for him, "But if you prefer, I can find some suitable punishment for a mutinous brat like you!" he finished with a wink. Link laughed. It hurt to laugh, but it also felt good. It was the first time he had laughed in months.

Softly, the injured man let out a long groan. Alfon quickly straightened his back and motioned to the nurse to tend to him. Link looked curiously up at his master. "They were chasing him." Alfon whispered, "He hasn't said much - something about the ranch just outside of the castle." Link struggled to sit up again, "He might know Malon!" he exclaimed. At the mention of Malon's name, the wounded man started struggling against the nurse. He babbled and cried out "Malon! Malon!" several times, while she desperately tried to calm him and administer some medicine. "Quiet lad!" Hissed Alfon, "He's near the edge already. It might kill him!" He reached down and helped the boy into a seated position. Link watched the poor man struggle and whimper as the nurse continued struggle with him. From what Link could see, his entire body was wrapped in bandages and his right arm ended in a bloody stump.


	17. Lost Friends

**_January 21, 610 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 190_ **

**_Infirmary, Lake Hylia_ **

The next morning, Link was jolted awake by the voice of a woman shouting close by. "What do you mean he's alright?! Look at him!" she cried. Link looked over to his right and found Telma and Alfon standing beside his bed - facing one another. "Now now Telma, keep your voice down!" Alfon tried to soothe, "He just got a little bump on the arm, it's nothing!" "Nothing? NOTHING!" Shrieked Telma, "You call a shattered arm NOTHING?! YOU DAMNED FOOL! How could you let this happen to him?!" She was so overcome with rage that she shook her fist in Alfon's face - her delicate silk handkerchief waving helplessly between her fingers. Fresh tears began running down her cheeks, ruining her makeup, and turning her eyes red. "He's somebody's _child_ Alfon!"

"I'm ok Telma, you don't need to-" Link began, but the tavern matron - faster than a striking serpent - grabbed him up into a hug and smothered him against her giant bosom. "Oh my brave little soldier!" she wailed as she squeezed him with crushing force, "What have they done to you?!" Desperate for air, Link's arms flailed up and down as he tried to free himself, but she only pulled him in more tightly with her iron grip. "You're not going!" she continued as she began kissing the top of his head, "You're not! I'll keep you at the bar... you can keep me safe! But you're not going back out there! Oh my poor little man!" Lord Alfon now valiantly struggled to free Link from Telma's maternal-grasp, when Impa came charging into the room. "What is the meaning of this racket?!" she shouted.

Alfon snapped to attention - his eyes quickly darting from Impa to Telma and back again. "Lady Impa! We... I... uh..." he stammered, as the enraged minister stomped her way over to the squire's bed. "Telma! I knew it was you! I should've known if we let you in here that you'd be causing trouble!" The sobbing of Link's attacker quickly faded and she dropped Link back into his bed - with a desperate gasp for air. Wheeling around on Impa, she returned to shouting, "I have as much right to be here for our soldiers as anyone Impa!" She waved her arm, motioning to the other wounded men in the room and continued, "One might wonder why you aren't here yourself! Tending to those men you send out to die!"

At once, the tension in the room soared as the two imposing women locked eyes and glared furiously at one-another. Telma, though beautiful and amorous, had a fierce temper and bore a thick and powerful form beneath her jewels and finery. Impa, however, was a trained and disciplined warrior - to say nothing of the authority she now carried as the Princess' matron and guardian. The lines of her own muscles were plain to see through the sleeves of her minister's war gown. "One might also wonder..." she began with a very quiet, threatening tone, "how a guest of the kingdom could forget herself in such a _disrespectful_ manner in the presence of the Minister-Regent of Hyrule!" Telma's glare slowly softened and shifted to a look of confusion and then fear. "I...I..." she stammered, not knowing what to say. Impa seized her advantage and pressed further, "Remind me, by whose leave were you allowed to settle in Hyrule?! Who allowed you to build your tavern in the Capitol City?!" The innkeeper's lip quivered as her eyes glistened with new tears, "H-his Majesty said I-" but Impa cut her off, "His Majesty is dead Telma! By _whose_ leave are you allowed to be here?!" she demanded.

The woman had stepped back now and wrung her hands nervously in front of her. She had gone too far, let her passions carry her into serious trouble. The minister continued to glare menacingly as she slowly lowered her head. "By leave of the gracious Regent, I am permitted to stay. At her pleasure." Telma said as she lifted her skirt and curtsied slowly to Impa. She continued, but did not meet Impa's eye, "Forgive me my lady, I forgot myself. I was... overcome with grief for the fallen and worry for these injured men." Sheepishly, She darted a glance at Link.

Impa's voice softened, but her scarlet eyes remained locked on Telma, "You are forgiven, of course, Telma. We all share your concern for the brave soldiers of the King's army." The woman began to breathe easier and show a relieved smile but it quickly faded when Impa continued her glare. "This is the infirmary... not your bar." she snapped, "I'm sure there are _other men_ you can _tend_ to. Now get out!" The bar matron's mouth dropped open in shock as she began to object, but Alfon wrapped his arm around her shoulders and firmly guided her toward the door. After she had left, Impa drew a deep breath and let out a great sigh. "And you, young man, are you still alive?" She asked. "Y-yes" stammered Link. It was the first time she had spoken directly to him since his outburst at Zelda. When the minister narrowed her eyes down at him he quickly added, "My Lady." Satisfied now that her work was complete, Impa sharply replied, "Good! Get back on duty as soon as you are fit!" and, turning briskly, left the infirmary without another word. "Yes, My Lady." Link repeated after her.

After a few moments passed, the muffled voice of the injured man across from Link came, "Don't let her get to you laddie. She's been as sweet as an Akkalan Peach to everyone she meets for as long as I can remember." The squire, surprised to hear the man speaking, struggled to his feet and made his way over to the man's bed. A sling had been left in the small table beside Link's bed and he used it to truss-up his broken arm. "You must see more than I see, sir." replied Link, "I don't see anything 'sweet' in her at all." The man started to chuckle, but immediately fell into a short coughing fit. "No lad, they don't grow peaches in Akkala." He replied, "An 'Akkalan Peach' means the same as a 'Road Apple'." The boy, now standing beside the man's bed, grimaced at the sight of the poor man's condition. He was heavy bandaged over most of his body with only a small gap was left for his eyes and mouth. "I don't get it." he answered, "Apples grow on trees in the forest." The wounded man turned his head slightly to look at him. "No lad, it means... Oh never mind!" he finished with a frustrated growl and closed his eyes.

Link desperately wanted to question the man about his injuries and where he had come from, but he remembered Alfon's warning. "Where is Akkala?" he asked instead, "I've never heard of it." The injured man gave Link a disbelieving look, "Were you raised under a rock lad? How've you not heard of Akkala?" Link shrugged, "We never spoke of anything outside the for- outside of Hyrule." he answered - avoiding the long explanation that he was a Kokiri. The man let out a deep sigh. He wasn't going to be moving any time soon and talking with the boy would help to pass the time. "Akkala is the name of the lands North-East of Hyrule, son. East of Death Mountain and North of the Zora Kingdom. It stretches from the Eldin and Lanayru Mountains all the way to the great sea." The boy was more confused than ever. "Eldin and Lanayru?" he echoed. " 'Eldin' is the ancient name for Death Mountain and its surrounding range." The man answered, "The Zora kingdom sits in the heart of the Lanayru Mountains in the East." The squire thought back over his travels to the Goron and Zora kingdoms. He did remember seeing tall mountains and jagged rocks, but it never occurred to him that there might be more land beyond them.

For several minutes, the bed-ridden man detailed the landscape of Greater Hyrule to Link. After Akkala came Necluda in the East, then Faron in the South, the Gerudo Desert (which the man knew very little about) in the Southwest, and finally the Tabantha Highlands and icy Hebra Mountains in the Northwest. Akkala and Necluda were very similar to Central Hyrule - only with more hills. The Hylians who lived there were skilled farmers and tailors whose goods had helped the kingdom prosper after the civil war. Faron was a lush jungle region to the south. "So far south that the Hylians there are burned by the sun." the man chuckled. Indeed, the inhabitants of the Faron regions had much darker skin than their northern brethren. Even darker than most of the Gerudo. Along the southern coasts, they were excellent fishermen & sailors. Further inland, they were formidable warriors - especially within their own jungles. The region held many of the necessary reagents for Hylian medicines as well as several rare delicacies that the noblemen sought for their tables. Hebra was mostly uninhabited. A few tiny villages or trading posts had been built in the Tabantha Highlands -the Eastern-most portion of the region-, but the mountains themselves were far too cold for permanent settlement. "Just as hot as Death Mountain is, Hebra is as cold." the man warned, "Men have been found frozen on their feet. The cold took them that quickly as they walked through the snow"

Each of the three "lesser" kingdoms: Akkala, Necluda, and Faron, had been gathered together by the royal family many decades ago. Their native leaders were allowed to remain as "regional governors" but all were commanded to submit to the Hylian crown. Akkala was governed by the house "Cado", Necluda by house "Endai", and Faron by house "Guru." Each had rebelled against the crown during the war against the Gerudo and had nearly succeeded in breaking away and forming their own kingdoms. But the Hylians managed to overwhelm them and imprisoned the fathers of each house. "The sons were taken as wards by the King's most trusted advisors and not permitted to return home until they had come of age. Then, they were allowed to resume their governorship." He explained. "A foolish decision on his majesty's part," he whispered, "They are not to be trusted! They betrayed us once, they will do it again!"

Link let a few minutes pass before he spoke again. He wasn't sure if the man was strong enough for more questions, but he was eager to know where he had come from and why the moblins had been chasing him. "H-how do you know Malon?" Link asked him softly. He shuddered at the mention of her name and slammed his eyes shut in pain. When he opened them again, the boy could see tears beginning to form. "You really don't remember me. Do you lad?" He asked, "You were the good lad that made sure my milk delivery made it to the castle on time." Link gasped with shock at the sudden recognition, "You're Malon's father! You're Talon!"

They talked for nearly another hour. Talon told Link of how he and his daughter had sheltered beside the horses and cows in the barn when Ganon's evil cloud swept out over the countryside. How the ranch had nearly been overrun by the monsters, when a company of the King's men arrived and drove them back to the capitol. Talon wanted to evacuate with his daughter, but the soldiers insisted that they needed the ranch to house and feed their horses, so they reluctantly stayed. One morning, several weeks ago, Talon's farmhand Ingo had disappeared without a word. Talon searched for him and begged the nearby soldiers to do the same, but men could not be spared for the search as Agahnim's army seemed to be gathering for a new attack.

Finally, only six days before the fight at the lake-gate, Ingo had returned in the night with several of Ganon's minions. "He was different," Talon explained, "Confident, even arrogant, and there was something... _evil_ in his eyes." The corrupted farmhand quickly seized control of the ranch and chained Talon and his daughter within the barn. The next day, Agahnim's forces assaulted the Hylian front line and pushed them back - beyond the ranch. Talon's horses and cattle were now in the enemy's territory. "I wasn't strong enough..." he sobbed, "I couldn't even save my own daughter." His grief was unbearable and Link could get little more out of him. "What happened to Malon?!"he pressed, "Where is she?!" "...With... HIM..." Talon choked out.


	18. Waking Dreams

Link urgently plead with his master to form a rescue party and make for the ranch. His arm still ached, but now he was able to walk about the Water Temple - resting it in a sling. Alfon listened to Talon's story - recounted by Link - and seemed very downcast about the news that the ranch had been lost. "When we saw the horses the beasts were using, we suspected that they had raided the ranch at least once, but the treachery of the ranch-hand... We had no idea." he said.

Link urged him, that with only a few good men on horseback, they could easily rescue Malon. "I've been to the ranch! I know where the barn is! We can ride in, rescue her, and get out before they know what has happened!" Link insisted. In fact, he had only visited the ranch once, just before he set out for Death Mountain and the Goron City, but he remembered how kind Malon had been to him. She kept calling him "Fairy boy" with a shy giggle. Now she was a prisoner of Ingo and his monsters. Alfon though, was cautious not to promise Link any action. The front had become unstable and the Hylians had not yet been able to retake the ranch. Any rescue mission would have to be made behind enemy lines and cutoff from support.

Eventually Link's badgering forced Alfon to promise that he would propose the rescue to the Princess' council and seek their permission. Every moment after that, the squire followed Alfon like a shadow; prodding him on when he would meet with the Princess. "When she gives me leave!" shouted Alfon, but the boy was not deterred. After only a few days, Link's arm was strong enough to remove the sling and he was able to lift his shield again - Though it hurt to do so, he did not tell Alfon. 

**_January 24, 610 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 193_ **

**_The Princess’ Provincial Throne room, Lake Hylia_ **

The following day, when Alfon attended the morning briefing in the throne-room, Link stood outside the door - straining his ears to hear anything inside. At near-regular intervals, soldiers and counselors would pass in and out of the room, forcing Link to jump back against the wall and pretend to be standing guard. No one regarded him for long as they all knew he was the marshal's squire. During the brief moments when the door was open, Link was able to see that the council was gathered around a large table at one side of the room - studying a map of Hyrule. The Master Sword was hung on the wall behind the Princess' throne; now bearing a handsome deep blue and gold scabbard. "When did she have that made?" wondered Link.

Inside the council argued with each other in hushed voices. Many believed the idea of a rescue mission to be foolhardy, "At best, you will bring us a few horses" argued some, "At worst, you'll get yourselves killed!" argued others. But Alfon was adamant. "We cannot allow Ganon's forces to keep the ranch! Certainly not take our horses! If they are removed to Gerudo territory and bred with Gerudo mounts, we will have no source of fresh horses for the war!" he argued. "There are other ranches." Pointed out one counselor, "In Faron, or Necluda for instance." Many of the others nodded their heads in agreement. "Farm horses," began Alfon, "Excellent for pulling wagons, or plowing fields, but terrible as war-mounts! And no horses in the known world can match a Hylian steed's speed or hardiness in battle!"

He now turned directly to Zelda, "Your Highness, this is not only a part of our territory, it is a strategic necessity! If Ganon claims these horses for his army, their strength will grow and ours will wane! We must take a team to Lon Lon Ranch and rescue the horses and the rancher's daughter!" The council also now turned to Zelda, eager for her response. She was staring at the small circle on the map marked "Lon Lon Ranch" before her. "I remember Malon." she said softly after a moment, "She came to the castle once, I think she was with her father. She was very bright and very sweet." When the princess did not continue, the councilors returned to their bickering: "The girl is likely dead already, there is nothing to be gained from this folly!", "How do we know the horses have not been removed from the ranch already? It's likely too late!", "If you keep to this timid path we are going to lose this war in no time!" bellowed Alfon, who was growing cross with their lack of action.

"Let's keep all of this in perspective," started one, raising his hands, "We're arguing over one little girl and one small ranch, when we should be thinking of Greater Hyrule! The other houses have grown fearful at the kingdom's weakness. We should be planning how we are going to inspire them... how we will restore their confidence in the greater good!" The marshal slammed his armored fist down upon the table, "You sniveling politicians! All you can think about is your relationships, your scheming, and your money! There is _a war_ to be won here! _Lives_ are being lost!" He shouted as he drew his sword, "If the outer kingdoms have lost faith," he continued as he pointed his sword at each of them in turn, "I will restore it with _this_!" Impa, also staring down at the map and stroking her chin thoughtfully, muttered, "Put that away Alfon." The Marshal frowned, but obediently sheathed his sword.

The princess was barely listening to any of them. All the council ever did was bicker with each other and she was merely a figurehead for the kingdom. Impa was the real authority at the table. Softly, a distant voice echoed from behind her, "Please help me your Grace." Zelda turned to look over her shoulder, but there was nobody there. Passing it off as her imagination, she turned back to the table. Slowly, as though guided by another force, her eyes closed and her chin drooped to her chest. She was not tired, but she felt herself pulled into an almost dream-like state. The council, distracted by their arguments and the princess' silence, took no notice.

"Please... Please... Your Grace... protect my little Malon..." the voice was sobbing. She found herself surrounded by darkness, but it did not feel like an evil place. Zelda strained her ears and began to walk toward the voice. After only a few steps, a badly injured man, wrapped in bandages and lying on a bed, came into view. His eyes were closed, with tears streaming down his cheeks. His left hand grasped a bandaged, bloody stump where his right hand had been. "I beg you Your Grace, my goddess, please... save my little Malon! Take my life... just please spare my little girl!" He was sobbing through his words now and barely able to pray. "Don't let him hurt her!" Her own throat began to ache and her heart clenched. "This poor wretched man... what had happened to him?" She wondered. She reached out to touch his arm, but the image of Talon suddenly melted away and disappeared from view.

Another voice, much younger and feminine, now echoed from another direction. It too was sobbing, but sounded much more choked and strained. "We... we pray for the soul of... Talon" she whimpered, "We pray that he might... find peace in Your Grace's comfort..." the little girl sobbed. Zelda searched frantically around her in the darkness for the little girl. "She's hurt... she's in pain!" Zelda thought as she reached her arms out to grope in the dark. The small girl suddenly cried out in pain behind her and Zelda turned to see the poor child. Malon hung chained by her wrists from the ceiling of a dark and filthy barn.

She dangled helplessly, with her toes only a few inches from the floor. Her skin was covered in bruises and lash-marks and her little white dress was dirty and torn. One of her eyes was purple and swollen shut, while her lower lip had been split open. Zelda covered her mouth in horror as an unseen whip struck the girl's side, causing her to cry out again. A different voice, cruel and horrible was saying something to the girl, but it was oddly muffled and Zelda could not make out what he said.

"We... We... We... beg for your forgiveness..." Malon tried again, but the whip snapped against her ear; forcing out a scream. The princess moved her hand up to her own ear. She could feel it: the sharp sting and the wet run of blood down her face. "Where are you?!" She shouted to Malon, "Where are you? We are coming!" But the little girl didn't notice her - she could not hear Zelda. Again and again the whip cracked and Malon continued to cry out in agony. "Daddy! Daddy! HELP ME!" she screamed as her torturer's cruel laughter rose up and echoed through Zelda's mind. The princess couldn't bear it any longer, she rushed forward and cradled Malon's face with her hands. She winced at her touch, then opened her uninjured eye and looked right into Zelda's face. For a brief moment, she looked surprised. Then she, like her father, vanished into a cloud of mist.

"Your Grace?" came Impa's voice from far away, "Your Grace, are you alright?" Zelda slowly opened her eyes and glanced around the room. She was still standing at the council table beside Impa. The gathered council was staring, curiously, at her. "Did she just fall asleep?" Several wondered. The princess carefully scanned the room for the specters of Talon and Malon as Alfon and Impa traded worried glances. Despite Ingo's echoing cackle, her composure returned and Zelda announced, "You are instructed to rescue the girl and what horses you can, Lord-Marshal."

The other councilors began to babble objections, but Impa studied Zelda's face carefully. "Are you absolutely certain, Your Grace?" she asked as she rested a hand on Zelda's shoulder. "Absolutely certain!" Replied Zelda confidently, "Don't come back without the girl! I won't let even one more of my children suffer under Ganon's control!" The councilors traded confused looks at her words, but Impa gave a warm smile. "Her majesty always thought of her subjects as her family too. It kept her heart... open and loving to all." She softly answered. Zelda smiled - she wasn't compared to her mother often in such a positive way. Alfon straitened his back, bowed his head, and rushed out of the throne room. Link snapped to attention as the door flew open, "Gather your gear!" Commanded his master, "We're moving out!"


	19. Preparations

**_Late Morning, January 21, 610 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 193_ **

**_Hylian Army Camp, Lake Hylia_ **

The rush to gather weapons and provisions gave Link a sense of exhilaration and hope that he had not felt since Ganondorf’s attack. Finally, he was going to leave the lake! Finally, he was going to do something meaningful! As they quickly left the Temple of Water and made their way back to their tents, Alfon directed his squire to dress differently for this mission. “Go and find your old tunic and cap. Pull it over your armor – we cannot have any glint of steel on this mission!” he commanded. “Yes, my lord.” Answered Link, dashing ahead to his own tent.

For himself, the marshal removed his shining hylian plate and donned a subdued coat of mail, dark green tunic, and a fur-lined heavy black cloak. The squire quickly retrieved his old Kokiri tunic and pulled it over his head. It felt a little tighter than he remembered and did not seem to reach as far down his body as it used to. He dismissed this as due to his mail and pulled his dark green cap over his hair. Link’s baldric and sword followed along with his adventurer’s pack at his hip. Finally throwing his own dark brown cloak around his shoulders, the boy rushed back out to meet his master near the stables.

He met his master as he came walking out of the stable house, carrying several large saddle bags. “Take these to the quartermaster.” He instructed, “I want a week’s rations for four men. Understood?” “Completely, my lord.” The squire answered, taking the heavy bags and draping them over his own shoulders. “We will also need flint, tinder, bandages, spare garments, wet stones, a least two large bundles of arrows, survival packs, mess kits…” the marshal trailed off has his ward’s face grew worrisome at the long list to remember, “Just tell him that we need ‘everything for a week’s reconnaissance patrol’ – he’ll know what to do.”

Link quickly marched off to the quartermaster’s tent while Alfon prepared three horses for their journey. After he was out of sight, Captain Corin – who by this time had shed much of his doughy weight and looked much more like a veteran soldier – spotted his marshal preparing to leave and approached him. “Hail, my lord! Going on another patrol?” He asked with a bright smile and a springing step. “Yes,” grunted Alfon in reply – not wanting to give away any details of his mission. “Ah, good!” continued Corin, with his walrus like moustache stretching wider with his growing smile, “May I join you my lord? I have not been afield for some time.”

The marshal glanced back at the militia captain with a disbelieving eye. Corin was a good man – a reliable man – when it came to matters in-camp. But his quick smiles and bouncy demeanor seemed better suited for a village mayor, rather than a hardened soldier. Combined with his advancing age, these facts left the marshal doubting his abilities. “Sorry Corin,” he answered as he turned back to his horse, “Long patrol this time. Only a small squad. I need you to remain here and watch over the camp.”

His moustache quickly wilted and drooped into a disappointed frown. “O-of course… at your pleasure, my lord.” He replied, “B-but, if it please you sir, I really have been itching to get-” but Alfon quickly cut him off, “If you wish to help Corin, then please, go and find Russel and Viscern! I will be needing their skills for this patrol.” Lacking the nerve to debate with his marshal, Corin obediently bowed and trudged off through the camp, looking for Alfon’s men. Several minutes later, Link returned – bowed under the weight of the now laden saddle bags. “Good lad. Hand those here. Now, get yourself over to the smith and find a suitable shield. If he gives you any grief, just tell him it’s a command from me.” The squire nodded and dashed away again as two new faces appeared from around the stable.

The pair were an odd match. The first was a tall, slender man with sun-faded blonde hair while the other was shorter, more heavily built, and bore a steel-grey beard below a shaved head. Viscern, the taller, was still rather young for a captain – only twenty-seven. Russel, however was much older -though he refused to tell anyone his real age, all could guess he was in his late forties. “Hail, my lord” the younger greeted, while the elder simply grunted and nodded his head to Alfon.

“There you are.” The marshal replied, “Gear up for hunting, but tell no one that you are leaving!” “Hunting m’lord?” Russel echoed with a grin. “Well, maybe some brawling too.” Alfon replied, matching his grin. “Hunting for brawls! Ah-ha! My favorite!” the captain cheered as he quickly trudged his way to his own tent. Viscern remained behind. His face was relaxed -showing no emotion- but his sharp eyes quickly scanned the marshal’s appearance. “It must be an important mission, my lord, for you to travel ‘in disguise’ like this.” He said, softly. “Not disguise, discretion.” Murmured Alfon in return. “I cannot tell you where we are going until we are away from the lake, but we will need stealth. Make sure Russel knows this.”

As the graceful scout strode away after his friend, Link returned once more to his master’s side bearing a new shield – a twin of the one he had lost at the gate. "You will ride behind me on my horse. Wrap yourself in my cloak, so that you are not spotted." Commanded his master. The boy was so excited for his first mission, he did not mind being concealed beneath Alfon’s cloak. “At least I won’t be in the wind!” he thought to himself as his master pulled him up onto his horse. Within a few moments, the marshal’s two men returned wearing similar clothing to his lordship. Link had never met these men before and shied away from Russel’s fierce scowl. “The pup?!” be barked to Alfon as he rudely pointed at the squire. “Just get on your horse Russel.” Replied the knight, with a firm look. The grizzled veteran glared at the boy for a few more moments, before growling under his breath, and mounting his horse.

The four lazily made their way across the camp, not wanting to attract attention. As they moved, Link quietly whispered to his master, “Why didn’t you tell them we were heading to the ranch?” Alfon took a few careful glances around before whispering in return, “There are spies everywhere son. There will only be four of us and we cannot afford letting the enemy know that we’re coming.” The boy was downcast at the idea of one of their own betraying them. Ganon and his minions were absolute evil, how could anyone willingly serve them? “It happens in every war – spies, mutineers, traitors – don’t let it surprise you when it happens.” His master finished quietly.

As they reached the edge of the camp and turned up the lake road towards the gate, Telma swiftly strode up behind them in the snow and called to Alfon. She was dressed in an elegant black gown with a warm fur-lined coat wrapped around her shoulders. Despite the many layers, she still somehow managed to show off her feminine curves – making no attempt whatsoever to conceal her stately bust from the cold wind. When she called to him a second time, Alfon brought his horse to a halt and muttered under his breath, “A curse upon the man who told her!” Then, turning back in the saddle to look at her answered, “Yes? My lady.” The beautiful maiden lifted the hem of her skirt and quickly trotted the last few steps until she stood beside his horse. “You’re leaving again! Without saying a word?!” she scolded playfully – but Link could see the worry in her eyes, peeking out from behind his master’s cloak.

“A soldier cannot always be beholden to his maiden at home. He has a duty.” Alfon told her, trying to discreetly pull at his cloak and better-conceal Link behind him. But her eyes were far too quick, and she spotted the boy peeking out at her behind his master’s back. “Oh- ABSOLUTELY NOT!” She shrieked, throwing back his cloak and tearing Link down from the horse. “How could you?!” she cried, pulling him tightly against her body again, “He’s still injured! A-and he’s far too young for what’s out there!!!”

Russel and Viscern both rolled their eyes, but respectfully said nothing as Alfon’s face turned a deep scarlet red. “Unhand my squire woman!” he growled darkly at her, “We have a mission to accomplish and the boy must go with us!” Tears began streaming down her cheeks -ruining her makeup- as Telma took a small step back away from him and pitifully shook her head “no.” The marshal quickly dismounted and stepped right up to her. “You _will not_ disobey me Telma! And you _will not_ speak of anything you have seen here to anyone until we have returned!” Link continued to squirm and pull at her hands to escape, but even he could feel the power that Alfon held over her. Her hands began to shake and her fingers loosened, until he was finally able to tear himself free.

Standing beside his master, the squire turned an angry eye up at her. She had no idea what he had survived already and how many fearsome monsters he had defeated. Her “protection” was unnecessary and made him feel like a child. Her lips quivering, Telma reached up and began to run her fingers over the clasp that held Alfon’s cloak around his shoulders. “Y-you’re not wearing your armor, my lord… you won’t… be safe.” She whimpered softly. He reached up and softly pushed her hands away from him. “War is never safe, Telma. Even for marshals.” He replied quietly. “B-but… you _will_ return… w-won’t you, my lord?” her voice was barely a whisper. Her handsome knight drew a deep breath and sighed. He looked down into her soft, amber eyes and answered, “A soldier must be prepared not to, if the goddess calls to him.” A small sob escaped her lips and her voice broke, “Alfon… no!”

They stood for a few moments in silence, gazing into each other’s eyes. They could not kiss, or even embrace here – it would not be appropriate for his lordship to be seen that way. But he gently held her cheek with one hand and wiped the tears from her eyes. When the pain become too great, he quietly whispered, “I have to go now Telma.” And remounted his horse. Link waited for his master, then moved to climb up behind him, but was seized once more by his ‘adopted mother’s’ hands. A flurry of tight embraces and tear-stained kisses followed as the poor boy was shaken like a doll. “YOU! You have to promise me that you’re coming back little man!” she cried, “I couldn’t live if anything happened to you!” Russell and Viscern were quickly breaking as snorts and coughs of laughter could be heard as they tried to cover their mouths.

The marshal gave her only a brief moment to say goodbye to Link before saying, “Telma” in a deep voice. Three more kisses: one for each cheek and the squire’s forehead followed, before she reluctantly released him. “Y-you take care now!” she ordered, as Link quickly scrambled up behind his master again, “And don’t you dare come back without him!” she finished, motioning to her knight. With once final glance to his maiden, Alfon ordered, “Move on.” To his men, and the four resumed their journey. “Damned men!” Telma called after them, “Why can’t you just stay home with the women and be safe?!”

The guards at the outer watchtowers swiftly threw open the gates and saluted their marshal as he passed. Once on the open plain, Alfon let out a deep sigh and looked at his friends, “The women we leave at home hm?” he asked with a light chuckle. Russel and Viscern both chuckled and nodded in agreement, but Link was still angry at how she treated him like a child. A few moments later, Viscern came alongside their horse and tapped the squire on the shoulder. “Hey there, you’ve uh… you’ve got something on…” he said to Link as he tapped one finger upon his own forehead. The boy brushed his hand over his brow and looked down. His fingers were now covered in Telma’s crimson lipstick. The men roared with laughter at his sudden realization that his face must be covered in her makeup and scrubbed furiously at his own cheeks.


	20. A Bitter Meal

**_Mid-Day, January 21, 610 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 193_ **

**_South Central Hyrule_ **

The dull, grey daylight that managed to pierce through the gloomy overcast sent by Ganon, rose to its greatest strength, then slowly began to wane as the four companions traveled down the King’s Road. Once he was certain that they were far enough from any other ears, Alfon told his captains about their mission to infiltrate the ranch, rescue the girl, and -if possible- bring as many of the horses and cattle back to the lake as they could. Captain Viscern listened to his lord attentively, but gave no reaction at all. Captain Russell, however, seemed to be a boiling cauldron of emotions. He quickly shifted between an eager exhilaration for action and a fiery determination that the mission was a complete folly.

“The girl is dead!” he growled to the marshal, raising one finger. “The horses, are gone.” He continued, raising a second finger. “The cattle? Gone or consumed by the enemy,” a third finger rose, “and the farm hand? No doubt he has turned the plateau into a fortress for the enemy! There must be… fifty or more of them there now!” he finished, raising the fourth finger on his hand. Link was amazed at Alfon’s patience with this man. Ever since he became the marshal’s squire, Link had never seen him tolerate any insubordination from his men. Very small jokes or gentle teases might be allowed – when not on duty – but Lord Alfon was always the first to hold the reigns of strict discipline in the camp. Why now would he allow _this_ man to argue with him so?

“Captain Russel,” the marshal began with a sly grin spreading across his face, “If you are so certain that _you_ will be _defeated_ on this mission… perhaps it would be best if you returned to the lake and retired to your bed?” The grizzled veteran suddenly straightened his back and gave the knight a glaring eye. “No?” mused Alfon, “Well, if you think there is _some_ chance of our success, why don’t I make you a deal?” “A ‘deal’ m’lord? What sort of ‘deal’?” Russell asked, suspiciously. “Once we have rescued the girl and released the animals, I will leave the fate of the traitor Ingo… completely in _your hands_. To deal with him as _you_ see fit.” The captain’s face suddenly turned to a wild-eyed grin as he growled in satisfaction, “Hmmm… most generous, m’lord! I accept!”

From that moment forward, he seemed to have no more complaints or doubts about their mission. Rather, Russel busied himself with plans on how exactly he was going to kill Ingo. “Ball-and-chain!” he would quietly exclaim to himself, “No no… its been done. Oh, flay him open with my knife!” he would continue, caressing the handle of his dagger, but quickly finished, “No no… would take too long.” His companion, Captain Viscern, remained silent and carefully scanned the horizon as the four traveled. Link was not sure what to make of him. Russel was loud and intimidating, but Viscern seemed quiet and calculating, thoughtful and not easily moved to emotion. The more the squire studied him, the more he realized he was reminded of the Deku Tree.

After a few hours ride, a small village appeared in the distance ahead. “Deya.” Said Viscern as Russel shook himself from his bloody plotting and looked to Alfon. “Shall we stop m’lord? Save the rations?” he asked hopefully. “No.” Answered the knight, “if we are recognized, our stealth will be lost. We are just scouts, heading to Necluda, let’s keep it that way.” He kicked his horse to a trot and directed Link to pull his cloak tighter around him. “I don’t want you seen, _at all_ , lad! Make sure it doesn’t happen!” he instructed, as he pulled the hood of his cloak up and covered his hair and brow. The squire did as he was told, and pulled the knight’s cloak around himself – holding the edges to keep the wind from betraying him.

The village was small and rather quiet – even during this time of day. A few residents stayed behind to mind their homes and stores, but most had fled with the army to Lake Hylia. The army remained confident that they could still protect this village, even at this distance from Lake Town, so Alfon allowed the more stubborn residents to stay. As their horses trotted down the stone road, through the center of town, Link dared to open the tiniest gap between Alfon’s cloak and his side, to peek out at the small houses and silent villagers. Most of the people ignored the soldiers – patrols were very common here - but a few took a shaky step towards the men. “Apples here, sirs.” One offered. “Salted pork, m’lords.” Came another. “Oohh, Salted Pork!” exclaimed Russel, slowing his horse, but Alfon swiftly stopped him with a firm “No!” and waved the vendors aside.

Link’s own stomach now growled as they passed the far edge of the village and entered the open lands once again. “A little salt pork would have been nice.” He murmured up to his master. “Hmm” Alfon grunted in response. Thinking quickly, the squire continued, “He is right my lord, we could save our rations for the mission ahead… a-and we’re far from the enemy now as it is! They would not smell our cooking down here.” When the knight did not immediately reply, Viscern softly interjected, “They would not recognize him, my lord.” Alfon’s eyebrows lifted in confusion, “Who?” he asked. “The boy. No one in the village would recognize him. We can make camp off the road there,” he now pointed to a small grove of trees just south of the road, “and send your ward back for the food.”

Russel’s eyes lit up with renewed hope as the marshal slowed his mount and came to a brief halt. “I don’t like the idea of sending him alone.” Alfon muttered. “I can do it my lord!” came the voice under his cloak, “Its only buying food!” Russel nodded eagerly, Viscern inclined his head once, and Alfon thoughtfully stroked his short beard. Scanning the sky, he finally answered, “We will have to make up the time tomorrow. No complaints!” The soldiers quickly agreed and turned off the road toward the small grove. Under its boughs, they dismounted and began to set up their little camp. The snow was thinner here and the men quickly cleared out four small hollows for their bedrolls. As the two captains worked to start a small fire, Alfon handed a cast iron pot to his squire. “Some salt pork and a few apples.” He instructed, “Do not waste time! And speak to only those you must. And _do not_ mention anything of our mission!”

With a handful of rupees dropped into his pouch, Link quickly trotted back down the road toward Deya. He had pressed his lord for this little mission, not only for his own hunger, but also for the chance to do something for the two captains. Viscern was quiet, but Russel had already made it plain that he didn’t like the boy. Maybe, he would change his mind, and appreciate having him around if Link did this for them.

_~Back at the camp~_

Once the boy was out of sight, Alfon’s two captains began to question him about his squire. “Forgive me, my lord,” began Viscern, “But are you certain it is wise to bring him? The slightest sound on a mission like this-” “The pup will get us killed!” barked Russel over his friend. The marshal stared into the small flames of their growing fire and thought carefully before answering, “He _is_ young… but every young soldier must face his duty at some time or another. Even ‘pups’ must leave the den and learn to hunt on their own.” But the two could see the doubt in his eyes and, after a few moments, the young scout spoke again, “You didn’t want to bring him… but you felt you must?” The great knight continued to stare down into the fire. His eyes seemed unfocused and lost in his own thoughts. “She told me to bring him.” He muttered after a few moments.

****

**_Evening, January 21, 610 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 193_ **

**_Secluded camp, South Central Hyrule_ **

Link gradually made his way off the road once again, headed down to the little grove, as the last of the sun’s light turned upwards into the clouds above. The cold air was making his nose run and his hands were shaking and sore from the heavy weight of the iron pot Alfon had given him. Inside, he now carried several pounds of delicious salted pork. In addition, two large burlap sacks, tied about his shoulders, contained a dozen fat - if a little wrinkled - apples and two large loaves of bread. Tucked into the breast of his tunic, he had hidden two bottles of wine, which the apple vendor had also offered. The old man was shocked at first when the boy pointed to the bottles, but Link explained that “his captain’s” birthday was coming very soon, and the squire wanted a gift for him.

In truth, Link was hoping to keep the bottles a secret until after the men had eaten their dinner, then draw them out as a clever surprise. Trudging through the snow and the small underbrush ringing their camp, Link found his three companions talking quietly around the fire. “The mighty hunter returns.” Said Viscern softly. “About damned time!” growled Russel, “Starving here! Come on piglet! Drop that meat in the fire already!” The boy hesitated for a moment, staring at him in disbelief. He had expected the captain to be more thankful for the boy talking his master into allowing the meal for the night. “Quit gawping at me and _move your ass_!” shouted the captain, causing Alfon to flinch and scowl.

Within minutes, the delicious scent of the cooking meat wafted over their camp, sending a steady column of white smoke upwards until it disappeared in the breeze above the canopy. Link’s master noted the bread and apples with approval, but turned a disappointed frown on the boy when he learned that none of his rupees made the return journey. “You spent… fifty rupees… on pork, bread, and apples boy?!” The squire slowly moved his arm to better conceal the bottles still under his tunic. “I… uh… just paid what the man wanted… sir.” He answered cautiously. “HA! The piglet can’t even keep himself from being taken by a vendor!” laughed Russel cruelly. “ENOUGH!” bellowed Alfon, who was rather sore about losing so much money for only one meal. Turning back to his ward, he frowned darkly and asked, “Are you sure you don’t have any of my rupees left lad? Don’t make me search your pack!”

Cornered and unable to think of any way to escape, Link lowered his eyes to the ground and drew out the two bottles of wine. The orange firelight danced off the green glass and scattered a colorful pattern upon the ground around them. “What… is that?!” the knight asked – anger rising in his voice. “I-I thought-” Link began, but was cut off by Russel – who dashed toward the boy and ripped the bottles out of his hands, “You thought WHAT?” he shouted, “Thought you could use your lord’s money for a little fun?!” “N-no!” cried Link in return, “I-I just w-wanted… wanted to surprise you!”

The captain glared down at the boy with a terrifying look in his eyes. Alfon merely scowled with a red face – considering how he would have to punish the boy. But Viscern remained silent, sitting beside the fire and calmly studying the boy. After a few seconds of tense silence, he muttered, “Link,” and the squire quickly turned to look at him. The scout squinted suspiciously for a moment, then returned his gaze to the fire. “He’s speaking the truth my lord. He meant it as a gift.” The marshal glanced at him, then back to Link. His angry scowl remained, but some of the red had faded from his face. “You are never - _ever_ \- to spend my rupees on anything other than what I specifically command you to buy! Do you understand me?!” The boy simply nodded to him then returned to looking at his lap. His throat was choked tight -first with fear at being punished, then with angry embarrassment at how they seemed to pounce on his mistakes.

For the rest of the night, he remained quiet; eating his dinner without saying a word and drawing his cloak and blanket over himself to sleep. That hard stone of pain in his stomach slowly returned. “Why do they hate me?” he bitterly wondered as he fought to keep his tears at bay. After he had laid quiet for several minutes, Alfon assumed that he had fallen asleep and quietly spoke with his men. “You could be a little nicer to my ward, old dog.” He muttered to Russel. The veteran simply grunted in return, “Pup’s soft. Needs to be tempered up quickly or he’ll die.” And continued to chew on the smoking pork on his plate. “But every good smith knows: attempt to temper the steel too quickly and it will shatter. He could learn a lot from you, if you’d let him.” Alfon countered.

Link continued to listen to them quietly talk for several hours. From what he gathered, Russel was an experienced infantry captain from Hyrule’s eastern garrison and a brilliant melee fighter. He had been in the army for longer than Alfon but “Never cared for much rank beyond captain. Less killing after that.” Viscern had spent many years among the sheikah, learning the arts of stealth and ambush. The marshal commented that he was likely the most skilled scout and assassin outside of Kakariko – save Impa of course. After mentioning their regent, the two captains pushed for details about the kingdom’s government and the care of Princess Zelda. “The minister is doing what she can – she has had a lot thrust upon her that she never expected to handle.” Alfon explained. “And her highness, my lord?” inquired Viscern quietly, as Russel popped the cork from the first bottle of wine. “Mmmm,” he groaned with satisfaction after a long drink, “Smooth! A drink my lord?” he offered before Alfon answered, “The princess is a child – a lost orphan now. We should all do what we can to help her. Thank you, Russel.”

The bitterness in the squire’s heart swelled. Pity and compassion were heaped upon the girl that ordered his home and family to be destroyed, while he was regarded as nothing more than a “piglet” or “pup.” Now that they were enjoying the wine that he had only so recently been admonished for, he hated himself for thinking of the gift and hoped that they would choke on it.


	21. Love & The Goddess

**_January 22-24, 610 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Days 194-196_ **

**_East Central Hyrule_ **

Lord Alfon woke his squire very early the next day – well before dawn. “Come on, we need to make up that time.” He ordered. Link shivered in the bitter cold. Despite his cloak and blanket, his legs had gone numb and his hands were burning from the winter air. His mood had not improved at all since the previous evening, but he continued to remain quiet and not draw attention to himself. Once their gear was packed and all remains of the campfire discreetly buried, Link returned to his place, hiding beneath his master’s cloak.

The second day of their journey was a dull blur for the boy. He had slept so little and so poorly the night before that he spent much of the journey leaning against his master and dozing. At one point, near midday, Alfon nudged the boy awake and pointed to the east. Several miles away, but clearly seen against the white landscape, stood the blackened and menacing remains of the Forbidden Forest. Link stared at the ruins of his home for several minutes – the bitter anguish of that day returning to gnaw at him – before he pulled Alfon’s cloak over him again, and quietly wept.

They rode until nightfall, then sheltered in another small grove of trees beside the road. Link did not remember much from that night – he simply rolled out his bed and dropped down to sleep – but he did catch the sound of Russel pulling the cork from the second bottle of wine and taking a long, gulping drink.

The third day was unchanged from the second – save only that the land began to grow more rolling and hillier. Now and again, Alfon would order a halt at the top of a hill and the three men would carefully scan their surroundings for any sign of the enemy. Link, though he had said very little since their first night, was directed to remain silent and on the alert. The weather too had begun to change. A deep cold wind now blew down from the mountains to the east and the overcast sky above seemed to grow denser. That night, the men could not find any trees to shelter under, so they were forced to make their camp in a large depression between two hills.

Viscern warned them against making a fire, “The light of the snow will reflect much more of the light upward, my lord. It would be best if our camp were dark tonight.” Alfon and Russel quickly agreed and did their best to wrap themselves in every spare cloak and blanket they had brought. But the little squire only had his small cloak and thin blanket from his tent. Without a fire nearby, the boy quickly fell into a terrible bout of shivering and groaning. Link did everything he could and used every ounce of his strength to resist the cold. But the bitter wind from the mountains was overwhelming and he could not help himself. After several minutes of listening to the boy shiver, Russel growled out, “Shut up boy… its just cold!”

But Lord Alfon quickly followed, “Link. Come here.” The boy immediately feared some sort of punishment for keeping the men awake and tried to assure his master that he would be silent, “M-m-m-my L-lord… I am-m s-s-sorry.” He stuttered. “Bring your blanket and come here.” The marshal repeated softly. The squire struggled to rise on his shivering legs, but he did as he was commanded. He wrapped his blanket and cloak as tightly around his body as he could, and trudged the few steps over to his master. “S-s-sir?” he asked, when he arrived.

The great knight had set his back against the rotted stump of an old tree and looked up at the boy from a rather reclined, seated position. He was wrapped from neck to ankles in a magnificent bear-fur blanket and seemed untouched by the cold air. He raised his arm – lifting open the blanket – and muttered, “come here lad.” Link did not hesitate. He felt uncomfortable about being so close to his mentor, but the power of survival could not be denied. He quickly sat beside Alfon and leaned his left shoulder against his master’s side. The knight carefully pulled the great fur blanket over them, and wrapped his arm around his squire’s shoulders – trying to warm him more quickly.

After a few moments, Viscern – who was standing watch nearby – muttered, “Now that is the most beautiful thing, I have ever seen my lord.” With a bright grin. Alfon threw him a warning eye, but said nothing. “Russel?” the captain continued, “hrm?!” grunted the veteran. “If I begin to shiver… will you hold me in your arms?” the scout asked in a slightly feminine voice. “Hmmm,” growled Russel in response, “Are you Selina? The busty tavern maid from Tabantha with no scruples?” he asked, not opening his eyes. “Alas no, old dog. I am only Viscern the scout.” He friend replied. “Then you can freeze to death in silence pup and let me sleep. I’ll burn you in the morning to cook my breakfast.” Grumbled the elder.

Despite his bitterness toward the rough captain, Link could not resist a small chuckle at their exchange. Alfon tapped him on his back to warn him not to laugh at them, but he was smiling himself at their play. After he had warmed up and stopped shivering, Link quietly whispered, “Thank you, sir.” To his master. The great knight just patted him on the back, “Sleep. Rough day tomorrow.” He murmured back. The next morning, Link woke first, still leaning against the great knight. His master just snored loudly, with bits of frost forming at the edges of his beard.

For several hours the three horses plodded along the road, traveling first Northeast, then North as they made their way across Central Hyrule. As the dark image of the ruined forest disappeared in the south, Link’s thoughts wandered to his time in the Kokiri Forest; of Saria and Navi, the Deku Tree, and even Mido. It all seemed so trivial now - the fights that he and Mido had. He felt a sharp pang of shame in his stomach that he allowed himself to be so foolish when times were peaceful. Now Mido, Saria, and all of the rest were likely dead - burned in the forest. Despite the compassion that his mentor was showing him, the boy still felt completely alone in the world.

Link’s apprehension about the coming mission finally started to build. The safety of the lake was far behind them now, and the image of his destroyed home had reminded him of Ganon’s evil. In an effort to distract himself, Link asked his master, "What was that? With Telma." "What do you mean?" replied Alfon quietly. “Well, you two just stared at each other.” Link answered, confused that his lord had not done more to comfort the woman’s anxiety. "That's his Lordship's way of courting lad!" piped up Viscern, "He just stares into her heart and bewitches her mind." "Not that he could win her any other way!" added Russell with a grin. Alfon frowned at both of them, which set them laughing. The marshal turned to look over his shoulder at Link, "If you can hold her eye. If you can hold her helpless in your gaze... she will be yours forever. If she looks away, or laughs, then you have not proven yourself to be enough. But if she stands there lost... helpless... looking into your eyes silently, then you know you have her." he explained. But it did not make much sense to Link. "What if she's just waiting for you to say something?" Link asked after a moment.

The explosion of laughter from the two captains startled Alfon's horse as they nearly fell from their own. "Even the boy sees through it My Lord!" they cried. "I will have the both of you in irons if we make it back to the garrison, Goddess help me! Now BE QUIET!" growled the knight. The two soldiers quieted themselves, with great effort, as he turned back to Link again. "You cannot just walk up to a girl and stare at her, you’ll frighten her. First, you have to gain her attention. Next, gain her heart. Then, when _she wants_ to look into your eyes, you hold her. Gently, but firmly, you hold her gaze and the goddess will decide whether the two of you should be bound. If you have proven yourself worthy of her, the goddess will smile, and the lady will fall helpless to her love for you. If you are not worthy, the goddess will not smile, and the lady will turn away from you." Again, none of this made sense to Link, but he prodded once more, "What do you mean 'bound'?" "Soul-bound son. Drawn together even in spirit to one another. A love beyond gold, wine, or flesh. Pure love. Endless love." Alfon looked over his shoulder again and smiled, "But you are much too young to be thinking about any of that now!"

_~That Evening~_

The sun had set long ago and the moon -or its faintest glow- had risen in the east sky as the riders neared the Ranch. Alfon signaled for silence as they cautiously moved down the road. "There is supposed to be a front here!" whispered the knight to his squire, "Where are they?!" Viscern and Russell too had grown silent and alert. Something was very wrong, the Hylian Army seemed to have disappeared. Steadily, the land began to slope upwards ahead of them. The low flat-lands of the south gave way to the rolling hills of the north. Soon, the team came to the crest of a small hill that let them look out over the landscape. Through the gloom, Link strained his eyes to see the tall plateau of Lon Lon Ranch, standing Northwest of where they now stopped. Beyond, lay the ruined outer wall of the capitol and Hyrule Castle, but it was little more than a black shadow in the distance. Still, the boy shivered at the thought of what lay inside that castle. "Don't worry lad," whispered Alfon, "we're not headed there yet."

The Marshal whispered with his captains to plan their next move. Viscern would move as stealthily as he could toward the ranch on foot. Alfon, Link, and Russell would wait several minutes, then quietly follow. He was to scout for guards and check the entryway to the ranch; instructed to only do what it took to allow the others to get inside. Once in, the marshal and his squire would locate and free all of the horses in the ranch, while the two captains searched for the girl, Malon. Link objected here saying that he wanted to rescue Malon, but was sharply corrected by his master.

"This isn't about glory son!" hissed Alfon, "The girl is likely chained and will take some time to free!" The boy's heart dropped until Viscern spoke up, "The princess believes the girl has been tortured my Lord. Seeing Link's face may help keep her from crying out in fear when we set her free. Strange faces will likely terrify her. I can pick the locks, if the lad can keep the girl calm." Link's heart rose again as Alfon considered his captain's words. He did not like the idea of being separated from his squire, but Viscern was right - a terrified girl was very likely to scream when strangers came for her. The knight's strength was in shattering chains, not quietly picking their locks, so Viscern had to be the one to free her. "Very well, take Link with you. Look after my ward Viscern!" Alfon whispered. "Without fail my lord." The scout grinned as he tapped Link on the shoulder, winked goodbye, and disappeared toward the ranch.

Several tense minutes passed as the trio waited. Dismounting, Alfon rested his forehead against his horse’s muzzle and whispered something to it. After gently patting the horse's neck, the great knight turned and motioned his two men to follow him. "Leave the horses." he whispered. Stooped, almost to a crawling position, the three crept their way forward, sometimes stopping behind a snowdrift or bush to listen for any sound. The sides of the plateau were steep and very slick with the snow, but they managed to climb it and rested their backs against the palisade that surrounded the ranch.

"Quiet now lad." Alfon barely breathed to Link as they slowly made their way around the wall to the ranch gate. Surprisingly, they found it open and unguarded. The ranch was dark, but for one small light coming from the second-floor window of the farmhouse. Link moved to enter, but his master grabbed his shoulder. "Wait for Viscern lad." he whispered. Seconds dragged by in silence as Link gripped the handle of his sword. His body was tense and his heart was pounding, expecting an attack, but he could not find any sign of an ambush. Finally, a small flicker of light came from just inside the gate, between the farmhouse and the barn. "That's the sign, go to him." Whispered Alfon, and the three quietly moved in.


	22. Heroes, Villains, & Gods

**_Near Midnight, January 24, 610 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 196_ **

**_Lon Lon Ranch_ **

Keeping to the shadow of the barn, the four soldiers leaned in very close together to hear their scout’s report, "The horses and cattle are at the far end of the ranch. A crude set of stables have been set up for them there, beyond the corral. The ranch hand is in the bedroom of the house, writing something. The girl is chained inside the barn." He quickly told them. "What of moblins, soldiers, guards?" asked Alfon. "The ranch reeks of them sir, but I did not find any... they must be in the house with the ranch-hand." replied Viscern.

Link noticed that his voice had a slight tone of doubt. "He's not certain." Link thought to himself with a slight note of fear. "Alright," the marshal began with a deep breath, "We keep this simple. Russell and I will gather the horses and cattle. Link and Viscern will release the girl. Take her to the gate. From there, signal us and we'll create a stampede out the gate and onto the field. The animals should follow their herd and we may even trample that traitor as we escape." The others nodded and split apart. Alfon gave Link one last squeeze of confidence on his shoulder before he slipped across the ranch toward the stables.

Once they were out of sight, the captain leaned in close and whispered to Link, "As quietly as you can, go into the barn. If the girl begins to cry or scream, _do not_ rush up to her! Use your voice to get through to her. I will handle the chains. If anything goes wrong, you make for the gate and get back to the Lake, understood?" The little squire knew it was no time to argue, so he quickly nodded his head and drew his sword. Viscern straightened up and in one skilled leap, landed on the eaves of the barn. Soft-footed and silent as a cat, he dashed over the roof and disappeared from sight. The boy marveled at his agility, but quickly returned his focus to the mission.

The barn door creaked and groaned dangerously as Link made his way inside. The heavy scent of smoke, filth, and rotting meat assaulted his nose as he passed through the doorway. A little light came from thin beams streaming in from the barn's windows, but Link was still forced to strain his eyes in the darkness. At the far end of the barn, he heard the quiet rattle of metal links. As silently as he coule, Link tip-toed his way across the timbered floor, keeping his sword close to his body, until he came upon Malon.

She hung by her chained wrists several inches from the floor. Her dress was filthy and torn in several places and her skin was badly bruised and bloody where it was uncovered. The girl’s head hung limply down onto her chest; either she was dead or unconscious. "Malon... Malon..." Link breathed softly, "Malon... it's me Link!" But she did not move or answer. The squire began to fear that she really was dead and his heart began beating even harder against his chest. "Malon, it's me Link! We're going to get you out of here." he tried a little louder.

A small rustle came from Link's left; the sound of hay or straw on the barn floor of the nearest stall being moved. Alert, Link froze; holding sword ready for the attack - but nothing more came. "Just... just a mouse" he thought to himself as he forced himself to relax. Fighting panic, Link turned back and stepped closer to Malon. Reaching out, he carefully lifted her head and gently rubbed her cheek with his right thumb. "Malon, Malon it's me." The girl let out a soft groan, and struggled to open her right eye - her left being badly bruised and swollen shut. When she realized someone was touching her face, she jerked her head back and whimpered, "No! No more please! "

Terror seemed to shoot through Link’s heart like lightning as the rustling sound to his side returned and grew louder - followed by a bubbling snort. "Why are the horses not kept here... in the stalls?" he suddenly wondered. The menacing growl from his left answered his question. Malon's crying had awoken one of the moblins that were tasked with guarding her and now it had locked its eyes on Link. The boy turned and readied his sword to fight. The beast growled and let out a strange yelp, which shook the other moblins sleeping in the stalls nearby.

Just then, several things happened at once. A dark shadow suddenly dropped from the rafters of the barn and landed with a soft thud beside Link. The boy turned, shocked by the sudden appearance of Viscern, and instinctively raised his sword to strike. The moblin, raising its spear, gave another terrible growl at the intruders, as its comrades quickly woke and began to clamber onto their feet. The scout, drawing two throwing daggers, swiftly parried Link’s blade with one hand. Silent and deadly, the captain flicked the other knife forward – which buried itself in the first moblin’s throat.

The beast grabbed at its throat with a disgusting gurgle and sank to the floor. Link's eyes were wide with shock, still holding his sword against Viscern’s knife. "I almost killed you!" he gasped. With a wide grin and a wink, the captain quickly answered, "No you didn't lad!”, and roughly threw the boy down to the floor next to the dead monster. The other moblins, now fully awake and on their feet, gave a furious roar at the Hylian assassin in their barn. The captain swiftly sheathed his knife and drew a long, slender sword from his back and fled out through the same barn door that Link had opened. The beasts charged after him, eager for a kill and flesh to eat, but completely unaware of Link lying in the shadows.

For several heart-pounding seconds, the boy lay perfectly still on the floor. "Did he draw all of them off?" he wondered. But just as Link began to turn over and check his surroundings, the barn door was thrown open again and a bright orange light flooded inside. The squire lay very still on his back - his left hand and sword hidden under the bloody straw of the moblin's stall. "What is going on in here?!" cried a harsh voice from the door.

Malon began sobbing again and pitifully struggled against her chains. Heavy footsteps thundered across the barn floor as the orange light moved inside and approached the girl. "Are you causing trouble in here my dear? You know what happens when you cause trouble! I'll have to punish you again!" Ingo's voice was cruel and full of a mocking superiority. She turned her face away from him and pitifully whimpered, "No... please... I'll be good... No more... please." The traitor, setting his lantern down on the floor beside him, reached up and mercilessly grabbed a handful of Malon's bright red hair. As she cried out, Ingo screamed into her face, "If you want to keep your life... and mother my children... then you'd better be a good girl and beg your god to forgive you for this crime! Or I will feed you to the soldiers... just like I did your father!" But the poor girl only cried harder as he continued to pull her hair.

When she did not answer him, he screamed into her ear, "HYLIA IS A MYTH! LORD GANON IS OUR TRUE GOD! SAY IT!" "Please... Mr. Ingo, I saw her... I really saw her..." she plead with him. With a snort of disgust, he released her hair and quickly grabbed a short riding crop from the stall opposite Link's. Brutally, he started whipping her sides; shouting with each strike, "HYLIA – IS – A – MYTH - SAY IT!" Bawling in agony, Malon began to echo, "Hylia...is..."

At this moment, something strange happened inside of Link. All sound seemed to fall away, except for Malon’s crying and all sense of feeling seemed to leave his body. He did not remember standing up. Nor making the decision to approach Ingo. He just calmly approached the traitor and raised his sword. Neither anger or fear were in him anymore. Everything moved and shifted like a dream, he was simply watching it all unfold. Ingo jumped in surprise at the sudden appearance of the squire, but quickly returned to his arrogant laughter when he saw it was just a boy. As he came within reach, Ingo struck him once, sharply, across the face with the crop. Other than blinking, the boy did not react to the blow. Ingo's eyes darted from Link's face to the sword in his hand and back again.

His own natural fear warned him that the boy’s weapon was a threat. But his new God suppressed these instincts and drove him forward. Sneering at Link he asked, "What can a boy do with just a sword?" The squire’s ears twitched at the familiar words, which set off a fiery heat in his own heart. "I am going to kill you with this sword." He answered flatly. Though the traitor was much larger than Link, he stood little chance – unarmed and unarmored - against the boy.

After the first slash, Ingo stumbled backward and tripped over his own lantern, which broke open and sparked a small fire in the straw. Link took no notice and continued his calm, controlled attack. Leaning against the far stall and holding one hand over his wounded chest, Ingo lashed out again with the crop – aiming for Link’s eye. But the young soldier slashed the crop in two, and thrust his sword into Ingo’s stomach. Again, and again, the boy viciously hacked and slashed at the disgusting turncoat, until Ingo collapsed onto the floor. Sheathing his blade, Link swiftly dropped onto his chest and furiously pummeled Ingo's face with his fists. Everything seemed to turn red as the sound of Malon's crying filled Link's ears and drove him onward.

Only when Lord Alfon had torn Link away from Ingo's body and shouted at him to stop, did he realize what he was doing.


	23. Fire, Blood, & Justice

**_Midnight, January 25, 610 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 197_ **

**_Lon Lon Ranch_ **

As Viscern raced from the barn toward the others, Alfon and Russell shattered the locks on the stables and set the horses and cattle free. The herd, having already been whipped and tortured by Ingo and the moblins, charged for the ranch gate without command. The scout’s great agility allowed him to leap over or dodge around the animals as they came at him, but the dull moblins were not so skilled and were quickly trampled by the charging animals.

With half of their mission complete, the three soldiers quickly raced back to the house and barn behind the animals. When they did not find Link or the girl at the gate, the marshal ordered Russell to the house to deal with the traitor while he and Viscern searched the barn for his squire. They found Link, screaming at the top of his lungs, as he ruthlessly bludgeoned a ruined Ingo on the floor of a stall beside Malon. Behind him, the girl hung from her chains - still sobbing in terror at everything happening around her.

The knight swiftly grabbed the boy and dragged him away from Ingo as Viscern quickly grabbed the key on his belt and released Malon. "Easy hon, easy, it's ok... I've got you. It's ok... I'm here." he soothed in a fatherly voice as she collapsed into his arms. Her arms and legs were withered and shaking from the torture, so Viscern gently cradled and wrapped his cloak around her. Alfon, stunned at the bloody mess on the floor, slowly looked from Ingo back to Link.

The squire was gasping for air and crying tears of rage, but his eyes remained locked on the traitor's body. "My Lord-" Viscern began, but the rancher suddenly twitched and let out a gurgling groan. Link dashed forward to resume the attack, but Alfon lifted him off his feet and held him captive. "Leave him lad! Leave him!" Bellowed the knight as his eyes fell on the growing fire spreading over the back wall and floor of the barn, "He'll get justice, don't you worry. Come on!"

Still carrying the boy, they rushed back to the ranch's gate. The marshal let out a long, piercing whistle and shortly after, a whinnying answer came from the snow-covered landscape. Soon the tramp of hooves thundered out of the darkness as the soldiers’ mounts rushed galloped up to meet them. The liberated herd had found Alfon’s great horse in the dark and stayed near them for protection. Now a throng of Hylian mounts galloped up to the ranch gate -including a handsome red filly- to meet the marshal and his men.

Setting Link back on his feet, Alfon quickly mounted and shouted to his men to do the same. Russell came rushing out of the ranch house - forcing several pieces of parchment into his satchel as he ran. "The Traitor is gone!" he cried, as he caught the reigns of his own horse. The marshal pointed to the growing fire that was now burning through the nearest side of the barn, "He will be. Get your horse, we're leaving." He answered in a solemn voice.

The great knight reached down and took the rescued girl from Viscern, so that he could mount his own. Epona, the red filly, found Link in the darkness and lovingly nuzzled at his hair. "Ride her if she'll have you Link," called his master, "I need to carry the girl." The squire grabbed Epona's mane and pulled himself up. She stood very still and accepted him without complaint. With a cry from their leader, the team kicked their horses to a hard gallop and raced over the icy landscape, back toward the King’s Road.

After riding for only a short distance, a piercing scream rose up from the engulfed barn. Turning back and looking over their shoulders, the four men could see that the fire had now spread to the farmhouse nearby. "More than the traitor deserves!" Spat Russell, who felt disappointed that he had not dispatched Ingo himself. "Fire will do in a pinch, when there's need." replied Alfon, still cradling the girl. "Aye, My Lord. That it will." answered the old veteran as the firelight flickered on his face. Once they reached the road, they briefly stopped and turned back to study the result of their mission. Link remained silent as the roof of the barn collapsed and great flames roared up into the night sky: "He was actually trying to force her to... _pray_ to Ganon." He thought bitterly. A small part of him knew it was wrong, but he - like his comrades – allowed their anger to take great satisfaction in Ingo's death.

Once barn roof collapsed, the flames within rushed upwards and towered over the ranch’s palisade. Now the white countryside was illuminated with a bright orange glow for several miles in every direction. Alfon’s eyes caught the gleaming stone gates of the capitol to the north and realized that its lookouts would surely see the blaze. "Ride hard!" he urged, "They already know what we've done!" Spurring his horse back to a gallop, he charged southward as the others raced after him.

For nearly an hour, they drove their horses as hard as they could down the cobblestone road. With the bitter wind in his face, Link struggled to see what was ahead of him, but Epona faithfully kept to the path and stayed near to Alfon. Far away behind them, in the North, an unearthly wail suddenly rose up and pierced their ears. "Bats!" shouted Russell over the wind. The squire had heard stories of Agahnim's giant bats, but had never actually seen one himself. Their shrill cry filled him with dread as he leaned forward and held onto Epona even tighter. Malon, however, knew exactly what that sound meant and she struggled and screamed in terror against her rescuer’s grasp.

In moments, the wind shifted and the rush of wings came low overhead. Several of the ranch-horses screamed in terror and broke off from the group - hoping to escape. As Link turned his head left and right, he could see giant winged shadows dive down upon the terrified horses and lift them away with cruel talons into the darkness. "Keep going!" cried Viscern as he and Russell broke formation and wheeled back. They lifted their bows and began firing arrows into the inky sky above. "We should help them!" screamed Link over the wind. "No!" bellowed Alfon, "We have to get you and the girl back to the lake! They know their duty!" The boy did as he was told, but felt a surge of anger toward his master. "How can he just leave them to those monsters?!" he wondered.

They continued their frantic retreat for as long as their horses could bear it. The surge of adrenaline from the bats’ attack spurred them onward, but after several more miles, the horses began to pant and cough in the cold air. Slowing and then halting, the marshal motioned for silence as he listened to the darkness above them. The sound of wings and the captains’ cries were gone now and Link could only hear the soft breeze over the snow and the distant ripple of the Zora river to the East. “We will need cover.” He whispered silently, once he was satisfied that the bats were not close by. Without another word, he motioned to his squire to dismount and come near him. Once Link was within arm’s reach, the knight tapped the boy’s baldric, then pointed to one of the saddle bags hanging from his horse. The squire quickly retrieved his master’s spare leather belt, loosened it as far as it could go, and handed it up to him.

Holding Malon with one arm, the great knight draped the belt over one shoulder and across his chest. Then, with fatherly care, he rested the girl’s body into it – like a sling – and drew his warm cloak about her. She seemed to drift in and out of consciousness, badly weakened and barely alive after two weeks in Ingo’s barn. He didn’t speak, but Alfon’s heart was breaking at the sight of the poor child in his arms. The great knight had seen many wars – large and small – and understood the cruelty of battle and the hardships that it would bring to civilians. But the idea of a Hylian torturing and starving a child _for amusement_ was something new to him.

****

**_3am, January 25, 610 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 197_ **

**_Beside the River_ **

As quietly as they could, they led their small herd eastward – off the road – toward the river. Near its banks, a long, but narrow group of trees formed a small wood for them to hide in. Most of the trees were bare and leafless, but a small cluster of Hylian pines stood near its center, and the marshal directed his squire to lead the animals and to shelter there until dawn. Still shivering from the terror of the shadowy attack, the animals seemed to know that these trees would provide them some protection, but still, they all stood together - wide-eyed and nervous about what lay in the darkness above them. At the slightest rustle, or creak from the branches, the beasts would flinch and look upwards.

Link was directed to stand watch, and make certain the animals did not attempt to wander out of the glade. Alfon rested his back against a tree and cradled Malon in his lap, with one arm beneath his cloak. To keep his strength up, the knight allowed himself to dose, but his bow remained in-hand. Twice in the night, the girl stirred and began to call out for her father, but the marshal just rocked her gently in his arm and soothed her back to sleep. “Its ok hon, its ok. Its all over now. Just sleep.” He would whisper. The fatherly voice was not only a comfort for Malon, but also acted as a steadying hand for Link – whose adrenaline and anger had now drained.

Despite how tired he was, the boy’s mind had become fixated on what he had done back in the barn. Aside from training with his master, or small scrapes in Lake Town with the other soldiers, the boy had never attacked a Hylian before – and it frightened him at how easily he had done it. “How could I do that?! What is happening to me?!” he wondered anxiously. High above them, the chaotic winter wind rolled and churned the thick layer of clouds that obscured the night sky. For a brief moment, a small break in the darkness allowed the moon’s light to shine down over the glade. A thin silver beam reached down and touched the snow beside the boy. Curiously, Link reached out his hand to let it fall on his skin. With a sudden stab of fear, the squire watched as his hand entered the light and revealed itself to still be covered in Ingo’s blood.

The bitter-cold air seeped into Link’s heart as the horror took hold. “I’m… _a killer_!” he thought. In a sudden panic, Link quickly knelt down and frantically scrubbed at his hands in the snow – if he could remove the blood, somehow that would remove some of the crime from him. “Listen to me.” came the deep but soft voice of his master, “You did what you had to do. Every man feels this his first time. He was a traitor and a murderer. There was no wrong in it. You brought justice to that ranch.” The cold now spread to Link’s stomach and he began to feel a sudden sensation of falling. The world turned and spun around him as he struggled to stay upright. His fingers were becoming stiff and difficult to bend, while his skin burned from the cold – and still, the red stains were not coming off. “Come here son.” His master whispered.

Every part of the boy’s body seemed to shudder and shake on its own. Without thinking, Link dropped his sword into the snow, beside the herd of animals, and slowly staggered over to where his master sat. His vision was becoming distorted now and his mind splintered into a hundred different thoughts – but, ‘obeying his master’ managed to stay at the forefront. Reaching his lord, Link dropped to his knees and looked into Alfon’s eyes. The fierce, little squire had become a frightened boy again. “I know what you feel son.” The knight started, quietly. “And I regret that more aren’t here to help us. But I _need_ you right now, son. _She_ needs you!” The marshal lifted the edge of his cloak to reveal Malon’s bruised and swollen face as he finished. 

Against the terror, the sickening disgust, and the whirling dizziness – came a strong and steadying hand in Link’s mind. “She needs you.” Those words echoed through the boy and forced his chaotic mind to still itself. “We are not done yet, Link. It won’t be done until we get her back to her father. Do you understand son?” Alfon finished. The little soldier nodded, then muttered, “Y-yes… yes sir.” And pushed himself back to his feet. “Then get your sword and stay ready.” His master whispered, pointing back at Link’s sword in the snow.

**_Near Dawn, January 25, 610 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 197_ **

**_Beside the River_ **

Several times, during the remainder of the night, the wind would shift suddenly and a strong gust would rattle the treetops - making the evergreens rustle and sway. Alfon gripped his bow tightly while Malon slept and Link kept his hand on his sword -with his eyes turned upward- but nothing more came. “They have our scent.” The marshal thought grimly to himself, “And likely can hear our breath.” But the great bats had never attacked a Hylian caravan during the daylight and Alfon hoped that they could not tolerate the sun. “If we can just make it till dawn…” he thought quietly to himself as he scanned the treetops.

If they pushed the animals hard, they might reach Deya, or at least the grove of trees that the men had sheltered in near there. But the marshal was reluctant to bring the bats so close to the lake or to risk the village. His only other option, was to first go south then turn eastward up the Zora road and attempt to seek shelter in their domain. But he was unsure about this option. The Zora had promised their support early in the war, but had been very secretive and distant about what preparations they had made to protect their own home. The marshal had no idea what guards or passwords would block his way – nor what to do with a herd of horses and cattle in the rocky springs of Hyrule’s aquatic race.

“Where is my army?!” he wondered angrily, as another sudden rush of wind swooped low over the treetops.


	24. A Part of Her People

**_Late Morning, January 21, 610 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 193_ **

**_Hylian Army Camp, Lake Hylia_ **

As the marshal’s team departed on their mission, Princess Zelda watched them from the lakeside. Wrapped in a white fur cloak and mittens, she had insisted to Impa that they leave the temple and watch the men go. "They are going on my orders and they may not return Impa. I... need to see them off." She explained. Her attendant had been watching her curiously since the end of the council meeting. "Your Grace, are you sure everything is alright? I sense there is something you are not telling me." Impa gently prodded. Zelda drew a deep breath and considered telling her matron about the vision. Turning and smiling to her advisor, Zelda answered, "It's nothing Impa, I am fine! I just... needed to get out of the temple. The Zora are very kind to shelter us here, but I needed the open air for a while." The minister smiled and nodded to the princess, but she continued to watch her carefully.

Growing uncomfortable under her attendant's eye, Zelda began to walk around the lake and through Lake Town. As she passed, off-duty soldiers would kneel and townsfolk bow in reverence. Each time, she would bid them, "Please, please rise." with a warm smile and a wave of her hand. Impa too would smile and greet the Hylians they passed, but once she and the princess were alone, she attempted to correct the princess: "It is important for a monarch to be seen as regal and majestic your grace. While you are undoubtedly kind, you must be careful not to be seen as weak." The young sovereign frowned at her, "My people are cold, starving, and afraid Impa! If all I can do to ease their grief is stop them from kneeling in the freezing snow, then I will do it!" The minister -shaking her head- gave Zelda the same look her father would give when he believed she was being a naive child. "You are their strength, your grace. They take heart knowing that their royal family is strong and will be there to protect them! You must learn this!"

Too frustrated to continue arguing, the princess returned to their walk. After a few minutes, Impa brought the princess back to a topic from the council meeting. "There is concern, your grace, that the outer kingdoms are... losing faith in the crown. The sudden loss of the capitol to a band of Gerudo thieves and the... departure of their majesties have left the kingdoms fearful that Hyrule cannot protect them." The royal orphan felt a rush of anger at how simply she had described the events. "Gannondorf was a fearsome sorcerer!" she shouted at her attendant, "My father was trying to take a chance for peace!" Impa, seeing the worried glances and awkward stares of the Hylians around them, tried to calm the princess quickly, "Please, your grace, I only meant..." but Zelda continued, "And the only reason why we've lost the castle is because he managed to take the Triforce! How are we supposed to fight that?!" Alarmed, Impa ushered the princess forward, "I know, your grace, I know. But these people were not there. They have no idea what has transpired at the temple. They only know that the Kingdom has fallen and its princess is relying on their support. It frightens them. And... it should frighten you as well, your grace!"

Quickly moving away from the crowd and between two small houses, the princess looked up at her attendant suspiciously, "What do you mean by that?" she asked. Impa let out a deep sigh, she did not want to tell the princess this, but matters were turning serious with the council and now there was no other choice. "Not long after you were born, the lesser kingdoms rebelled and attempted to break away from Hyrule.” She explained, “Publicly, they proclaimed that they were doing it for the good of their own people, but secretly... they were in league with Gannondorf and the Gerudo." Zelda's eyes widened with shock; her father had never told her this. The sheikah continued, "Many on the king's council were certain that if Gannondorf had been victorious, he would have gifted large portions of eastern and southern Hyrule to these kingdoms for their help. The fathers of the governing households were imprisoned and quietly executed in the dungeon beneath Hyrule Castle on your father's orders, your grace." The princess’ hand covered her mouth - her father was capable of that?

"Now the sons have taken their father's places. The king hoped that reconciliation could be made and a trusting peace established in the years to come, but… he is gone and these men are in command of the outlands - The very lands that are keeping us alive, your grace." Zelda's eyes turned and wandered around the camp. How many of these men came from the outlands? How many would betray her when they had the chance? She wondered. "We are at their mercy, your grace, and I'm certain that they have realized that. We must do what we can to strengthen their allegiance and guarantee their support going forward." The minister finished. "How will we do that?" Zelda asked fearfully. "I am not certain yet, your grace, but I am sure it will be... unpleasant for all of us." Impa answered grimly.

They returned to their walk in silence. The princess, feeling the weight of the crown and the looming menace of Ganon's cloud above, desperately looked around her for any distraction. They came upon a wagon team unloading supplies for the camp. Zelda noticed that among the soldiers, was a very frail old man - who struggled to carry baskets of food to the nearby tents. Ignoring Impa's sputtering objections, she quickly walked right up to him. "Excuse me, kind sir-" she began, as he recoiled in surprise. She tried her best to calm him with a smile and warmly said, "It's alright, don't be alarmed. My name is Zelda-" but the old man quickly fell to his knees and bowed his head.

Rapidly, he began to babble his apologies, "F-f-forgive me m-m-my lady - YOUR HIGHNESS! Forgive this old f-f-fool! I was not watching where I was g-g-going." For a moment, Zelda was not certain what she should do. The other soldiers and workmen stood frozen nearby, staring at them. As she glanced at them, they quickly bowed their heads and backed away reverently. The poor girl was stunned at how afraid of her they seemed to be. "Please, please it's alright, you may stand kind sir!" she said, turning back to the old man. Very slowly -and nervously-, he returned to his feet, but continued to avert his eyes from her. After a few awkward seconds of silence he muttered, "H-how may I serve your highness?"

Zelda's heart was beating very quickly against her chest and her cheeks became quite red with embarrassment. In the past, her father and mother had received the reverences of the people while she trailed behind, hardly taking notice. When soldiers or noblemen bowed to her, it was never with such an uncomfortable air of fear – they always smiled at her and called her “her little highness”. "I-I was..." she stammered, frantically trying to think of something to say, "I was wondering if... if you had any apples?" The princess knew the answer was yes, as she could see baskets of them in the nearby wagon, but she needed something to diffuse the tension. The old man briefly raised his eyebrows in disbelief as the soldiers traded confused glances. "I'm rather hungry you see." finished Zelda awkwardly - trying her best to smile sweetly.

"Y-yes... of course!" began the old man, as he rushed back to the wagon. "You are in luck your highness! We've just brought in the late-harvest from Necluda!" She breathed a sigh of relief; the old man was smiling now and eager to please her. Still, she did not like how afraid he seemed to be around her, but at least now the tension had passed. "A very good year this, your highness! A very ample harv-" but the poor man was not able to finish. As he was rushing back to her, his foot caught a stone hidden under the snow. He now lay sprawled in front of her, with the basket of apples cast all over the ground around them. "Fool." muttered Impa under her breath, as Zelda rushed forward. "Oh, you poor man! Please, let me help you!" she said as she reached to help him up. The princess gently grabbed his arm and pulled him to his feet. "Oh, thank you, thank you your highness! I am not worthy-" he began -overflowing with gracious embarrassment- but his voice was slowly growing quieter. As Zelda held his arm, she could see his lips moving, but his voice fell silent. She quickly realized that all sounds from the lake-side town had gone and the world seemed to grow dark again.

She was kneeling now, with her head bowed. Slowly, she became aware of the company of soldiers gathered around her. Beneath her knee, the floor was covered in a crimson carpet, trimmed with gold. Her heart was beating very fast, "Goddess help me! Don't let me mistake the oath!" she earnestly prayed as she waited for the captain to finish speaking. This was the moment she had waited years for! At last, she was going to be granted the sword and made a soldier in the king's army! She raised her head slightly and saw the captain standing in front of her, holding his sword out over her head: "Do you Baelin, son of Gaelin, of the province of Necluda in Greater Hyrule..." But the captain's voice faded away as the gathered host disappeared.

A jarring flash of red-orange light and a sudden blow to her chest carried Zelda to some far away battlefield. The Gerudo were attacking the Manhala Plains. Lord Aryn -whose house guarded the Gerudo pass- had sent urgent pleas for reinforcements. Zelda had doggedly marched her company without rest for three days and two nights to reach them. Here on the third night, the Hylians clashed with the Gerudo invaders. Surrounded by fire and the screams of battle, Zelda, collapsed on top of a mass of corpses, looked down at her own chest. Her breastplate was rent and a terrible gash spewed bright red blood over her armor. "Goddess... help me..." she groaned as she felt her strength failing. This world slowly faded, just as another soldier near her cried out, "Captain Baelin!"

Looking up into her apple trees, the princess smiled as she spied several bright red, meaty apples waiting to be picked. "It's going to be a very good harvest this year son!" she said as they worked their way higher into the tree. "I can't wait for the pies!" exclaimed a sandy-haired boy nearby. For a few minutes, Zelda marveled at the land around her. The peace that had come over Hyrule had been very good to Baelin's farm and his son was growing into a fine young man. Suddenly, a branch snapped under the boy's foot and he tumbled out of the tree and landed hard on the ground below. Zelda was dashing back to the farmhouse, carrying the unconscious boy in her arms. "Goddess Hylia, mother and protector of Hyrule and its people, hear my prayer!" she urgently whispered, "Protect this child from harm and deliver him once again to strong health... please... I beg you!" Tears were streaming down her face as she crashed through the farmhouse door.

Again, the dream faded and returned. Zelda was now standing in the high hall of the King with her son kneeling before her. He was clad in shimmering plate armor from the neck down. The gathered host was dressed and ordered into ranks for the ceremony. The King nodded to the Lord-Marshal, who smiled and placed a hand on Zelda's shoulder. She drew her old, notched broadsword and rested its point on her son's shoulder. "Do you, Taelin, son of Baelin..." She began, reciting the knight's oath as her heart overflowed with pride. She was watching her own son join the ranks of the King's Knights – a feat never before reached by a member of Baelin’s family. His majesty had been gracious enough to allow the father to administer the oath to his own son. "... and by the Sovereignty of this crown, I name thee 'Sir Taelin of Necluda', a Knight of the Realm of Greater Hyrule!" his majesty finished. Cheers roared through the hall, as the Lord Marshall and Knight-Lieutenant Alfon cloaked the new knight and welcomed him to the brotherhood. "Goddess... watch over him... keep my boy safe." Zelda silently plead to Hylia.

A cold wind suddenly hit Zelda's face. She found herself lying on her back in the snow, shivering, as Impa desperately implored her to speak: "Your Grace! Your Grace speak to me! Are you alright?!" Slowly, Zelda's senses and memory returned to her. Impa pulled the princess’ arm around her neck and helped her back to her shaking feet. "What did you do to our princess?! ANSWER ME!" a voice roared nearby. After blinking several times, the girl’s vision cleared enough to see the frail old man cowering against the wheel of the food-wagon, with the point of a soldier's spear to his throat.

He was shaking from head to toe with an expression of complete bewilderment on his face. "It's...it's ok" she mumbled, weakly, to the soldier, but he did not hear her. "I'll skewer you old man! I swear... by the Goddess... if you've harmed her!" the man threatened. "THAT'S ENOUGH! STAND DOWN SOLDIER!" shouted Zelda, her strength quickly returning. The surprised man lowered his spear and backed away as the princess approached the old man. With Impa still hovered over her, Zelda knelt down and looked into Baelin's eyes. "Where's Taelin?" she asked, "Where is my... _your_ son?" Baelin’s eyes widened further in complete shock. For a few moments he stared at her in bewilderment. When she softly asked him again, his eyes welled and he covered his face with his hands. Zelda wrapped her arms around the grieving father, and wept with him.


	25. The Shadow's Bane

**_Dawn, January 25, 610 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 197_ **

**_Beside the River_ **

As the eastern sky slowly grew bright, the Lord-Marshal tried his best to get Malon to eat some small bites of food from one of his rations. She was hungry and desperate for anything to eat, but her body had grown weak and she quickly grew exhausted from trying to chew the tough army rations. “It will be dawn very soon, my lord.” Link whispered, still scanning the sky for any attackers that might swoop down upon them. “Yes.” Answered Alfon quietly, “And we will need to make all speed today, if we want to reach the lake before dark.”

The knight was pondering their escape carefully as he tried to encourage the poor girl to eat a small piece of bread. She did not have the strength to ride a horse by herself and Link was not strong enough to carry her. Lord Alfon would be forced to keep the girl with him – but how could they determine whether or not the bats were nearby? “Squire. Come here.” He muttered after a few moments’ thought. Link cautiously stepped over to his master, keeping his eyes turned upward. “You will mount, and ride hard out of the forest back to the road… alone.” Alfon ordered. The boy turned a fearful face down to him, “A-alone? My lord?” he choked. “Yes.” Replied the knight, “We don’t know if they are watching us and we need to be certain. We cannot risk the herd or the girl, so you must go. Be swift and do not look back! If nothing reveals itself, I will drive the herd out behind you and we will meet on the King’s Road.”

Without a saddle and bridle for Epona, Link was forced to sheath his little sword for the sprint from the forest. The terror of the previous night returned as the memory of the bat’s terrible shriek and grasping claws raced through the boy’s mind. “I will be nothing more than a small morsel to them!” his thoughts cried as he wrapped his shaking arms around the red filly’s neck. “My bow will be ready.” Whispered Alfon, once they reached the edge of the wood. “If they come, dodge and turn back and forth, and try to make your way back here! I will cover you as best I can from here!” With a soft pat on Link’s back and then a hard slap on Epona’s rump, the young mare dashed out of the glade and raced toward the King’s Road.

The wind whistled loudly in the boy’s ears as he slammed his eyes shut and clenched his arms ever tighter around Epona’s neck. “Please don’t come! Please don’t come! PLEASE don’t come!” he thought, with his heart pounding hard against his chest. His master watched anxiously as the boy and mare raced away from him, over the snowy hills, and into the distance. Holding his bow tightly with an arrow notched, he scanned the dim sky carefully for any sign of pursuit. After several minutes, when no shadow or scream could be heard, he quickly returned his bow to his horse’s saddle, and drove the herd of cattle and horses out into the open plain.

Epona climbed the last hill and slid to a stop on the familiar stones of the King’s Road. Link continued to shake with his eyes clamped shut as the young mare panted and shivered in the winter air. Slowly, the boy cracked one eye open, then the other, and looked around him. The stark landscape was empty and the sky above was cloudy but calm. “They’re not here.” He muttered to his mount. “They must have gone back to the castle!” Soon, the thunder of hooves caught his ears as Alfon and the ranch herd quickly crossed the open ground and poured onto the road. “No time to stop!” shouted the knight, “Go!” With cattle and riderless horses running past him, Link cried to Epona, and the two began the long race southward.

**_Evening, January 25, 610 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 197_ **

**_Approaching the village of Deya_ **

Throughout the entire day, the herd rushed southward, spurred on by Link and Alfon’s cries. The animals would run as fast as their legs could carry them, before slowing to breathe easier – but never stopping. Malon, shivering in the cold air, clung helplessly to the knight’s chest as he desperately tried to keep his cloak wrapped around her. Her frail body would not be able to tolerate the cold for much longer and Alfon feared for her condition already. If they reached the lake, he would take her straight to her father and the healers in the infirmary, before reporting their success to the princess.

Link remained fearful for the first few hours of their ride, but as the daylight grew stronger and the castle disappeared farther and farther over the horizon to the north, he was able to relax and even laugh at their success. The horrors of Ingo and what had happened in the barn were temporarily replaced with an exhilaration at what they had managed to do. “Ganon will be furious when he finds out we took all of his horses and cattle!” the squire laughed with a bright smile. “I’d hate to be Agahnim right now!”

When the sun began to set in the western sky, the team followed the road westward again toward Deya. In the distance, dark against the white landscape, the square silhouettes of the houses could now be seen. “We’re almost there! We’ve made it!” cried Link to his master – just as a rippling shadow swooped low overtop of them. With a terrified scream, Epona dug her hooves into the snow-covered stones beneath them, and skidded to a violent halt. Link was nearly thrown from her back, as he frantically grabbed at her mane once more. Only a few yards ahead of them, the massive shadow turned swiftly in the air, and crashed down onto the road in front of their company. The herd of animals bayed and whinnied in fear and quickly scattered in all directions, as the giant bat lowered its head to the ground and hissed menacingly at the two soldiers.

The beast was massive: its body at least three times the size of Alfon's horse and its sinewy wings stretched far out to each of its sides – blocking the entire road. Its body was covered in deep black fur, while pale orange eyes shone out from its twisted face. Its wide mouth was mercilessly packed with large yellow fangs – as long as daggers and still blotted with dried blood and the scraps of its latest victim. The shadowy monster focused upon Link as Epona backed away; its evil eyes blazing with murderous hunger.

Alfon was shouting something to his squire, but the boy could not hear him. The bat's shrieking wail forced him to cover his ears. The sound brought terrible pain - like knives being driven into the sides of his head. Epona, again, reared in terror and threw Link from her back. He quickly scrambled to his feet as the bat lunged toward him – opening its jaws wide for the kill. The little soldier drew his sword and watched in horror as the gaping maw came closer to take him.

Epona turned, as if to run, and was ignored by the beast, until her rear hooves smashed into the monster’s cheek just in time. Furious, the great bat now closed on the young filly, who defiantly whinnied at her attacker and dashed left and right to avoid its attack. Lord Alfon, unable to release Malon, pulled a large, silver horn from his satchel and blew a single clear, rising note. The bat, nearly snapping its fangs upon Epona’s neck, suddenly folded back its ears at the sound and shrieked in pain. Link, acting purely upon instinct, seized his chance and charged forward; bringing his sword down upon the side of the bat's head. A great gash spewed black blood onto the snow, but the monster's skull had been too strong for the Kokiri's blade. With its clawed wing, the bat threw Link away, hissing and screeching in rage at his attack. Epona returned, and continued to kick at the bat's wing and side - desperate to protect her friend.

As Alfon watched his squire battle the great bat, he drew his bow and tried to aim a shot for the bat’s eye. But the chaotic battle kept bringing Link or Epona too close to the beast and Alfon could not risk shooting his own squire. Away to the West, two short, clear notes echoed up from Deya. Not from a moblin's horn, but a clear trumpet's call - like Alfon's. A company of Hylian soldiers now rushed down the road from the village - answering their Marshal's call for help.

The great knight rode around the battle and quickly handed Malon to the nearest man. Drawing his sword, he charged back into the fight. Link, with his sword and shield ready, saw his master’s return and drew the bat's attention away from his approach. He shouted and screamed at the beast and even threw a small stone from the road to keep the monster’s attention upon him. “We will only have one chance!” His mind screamed, as the bat quickly crawled after him with a terrifying hiss.

The monster had hidden, skillfully, in the treetops above Link and Alfon -the night before- and carefully watched them at a distance before rising into the cloud cover above. Now, so close to the Hylian stronghold, it’s master’s will commanded it to strike and to kill the small boy on the red mare. But the plan was slipping away: the boy was guarded by a fearsome warrior and more warriors were swiftly closing in. “ _Kill the boy_!” echoed again and again through its simple mind. With a lunge and a snap of its jaws, the bat drew closer and closer to the child. No matter how it dodged about, the soft boy would soon be a bloody morsel in its jaws, and its master would be pleased.

But before the beast could enjoy its final meal, the sudden tramp of hooves turned its attention to Alfon, who charged up from behind and drove his sword hilt-deep into the bat's ribs -just below the right wing. The monster wailed and thrashed, desperate to drive off the intruding knight. Link and Epona both closed in and quickly searched for an opening. The Hylian infantry too now came up behind the marshal, firing arrows and throwing heavy spears into the bat's sides and wings. Their commander, shouting orders to his men, struggled to pull his sword free from the monster's side. The bat, realizing its folly and becoming more desperate to escape, lunged for Alfon's sword arm. If he had been wearing his heavy plate, Lord Alfon may have been able to fend off the poisoned attack. But, dressed in his mail and cloak, he felt the beast’s fangs crush through his thin armor and sink into the flesh of his arm.

With a great cry of pain, he released his sword and struggled to tear his arm free from the bat. With more arrows and spears landing in its back, the monster tightened its jaws with crushing strength and drank his blood with satisfaction. Rapidly, the marshal’s head began swimming and his body began to burn with the bat's venom. Unable to free himself, the great knight looked directly into the beast's burning eyes. He felt that if he were going to die here, then he was going to die well! With a great cry, the Lord Marshal of Hyrule summoned all of his remaining strength and drove his left fist as hard as he could into the monster's right eye. A fresh torrent of black blood poured out over Alfon and his horse, as the bat shrieked and wailed in terrible agony.

When his master returned to the fight, Link felt a sudden sense of relief and renewed confidence that all would be well. Lord Alfon was a experienced soldier and formidable swordsman. If anyone could kill this monster and save the day, it would be him! But as Link watched the dark bat bite down upon his master, sickening terror flooded into his stomach and washed over his heart. "No... Not Alfon too!" his mind cried. The squire threw down his shield and charged straight at the bat. As the knight drove his fist into the bat's eye, Link plunged his sword into the beast's neck -just behind the ears. Buried to the guards, the boy twisted and worked the sword furiously. "You can't have him! I won't let you have him!" he screamed into the bat’s ear. With a shuddering jerk, the bat released his master’s arm and sank pitifully to the ground.

Spearmen and lancers now closed in and skewered the beast's body from all sides. But the monster's body had gone limp and did not move anymore. The young squire staggered around the disgusting corpse and rushed to his master's side. Alfon had slid down from his mount and lay on the icy ground, gasping awkwardly for air. His bright red blood oozed out over the black slime of the bat's blood on his tunic. "H-hello boy..." he managed as Link knelt beside him, "That w-was some fine... sword work boy!" he finished weakly. Link's eyes began to water as the reality of his master's injury sank in. "What do I do?" he quickly asked, "Tell me what to do to make you well master!"

The marshal’s body was sinking deeper into a burning numbness and his vision and hearing were quickly becoming dull. He knew he did not have much time left. "I d-don't know if... if any squire has... has ever had such a... k-kill." Alfon coughed out with a weak smile. "H-hence forth… you sh-should be called... 'The Bat Slayer'... or 'Bat's Bane.' " The boy's heart began breaking. In his master's final moments, the great knight only thought of his ward and was trying to commend him for his bravery. “What do I do? How do I make you well master?” he whimpered.

"I think 'Shadow's Bane' sounds much better my lord!" came the voice of a Hylian soldier who now knelt beside Alfon, opposite Link. The marshal weakly rolled his head over to the newcomer, as the soldier uncorked a small, red bottle from his satchel. Gently cradling the Lord’s head, the soldier tipped the contents into his mouth and urged him to drink it. Alfon managed to swallow the potion and turned back to smile at Link. "Get the g-girl... to the lake son..." he managed, as his eyes slowly rolled back and his body went limp in the snow. Panic took hold of Link and he began to shake his master's body, "No... no no no no NO!" he cried as the soldier quickly wrapped his arms around the boy and pulled him away from his Marshal. "Leave him be boy! Leave him! He needs to rest! Let the potion do its work!" The grief-stricken squire looked at the soldier and back to Alfon in complete confusion. "Rest? What do you mean?! He's dying! Help him!" he urged.

The company of Hylians quickly laid their commander onto a make-shift stretcher and covered him with cloaks and blankets. The healing potion the soldier gave him would keep him alive for several hours, maybe even a few days, but he would eventually die if they did not get him to a skilled healer. A small wagon was swiftly brought up from Deya – driven by additional soldiers. Alfon and Malon were carefully loaded onto it and the driver urged to make all speed back to the lake. Link moved to climb in after them, but the company's captain stopped him. "Hey there! Boy! Aren't you forgetting something?" The squire didn't care about whatever the Captain had to tell him. His master was dying and Link needed to be with him.

But the captain insisted, and grabbed the boy’s shoulder to turn him around. He pointed to the bat's body and said, "Every man takes a trophy from his first kill, lad. That beast's claw or fang would make an impressive piece for a necklace or belt!" Link looked from the captain, to the bat, then to the surrounding soldiers. Many were gathering the scattered herd back together beside the wagon, but several close by were watching him eagerly -several even smiling and nodding for the boy to do it. As he hesitated, the soldier who had given Alfon the potion leaned down and whispered to him, "Come on 'Shadow's Bane', the girls back home won't be able to contain themselves when they see the fangs from this one!" he finished with a wink. The nickname and the confident looks from his fellow soldiers stirred a strange heat in Link's chest. He felt... stronger -dangerous even- to be called 'The Shadow's Bane'.

As the cart of wounded began to rumble south toward the lake, the boy returned to the bat's body and began to pull at his sword -still buried in the beast's neck. As he grunted and jerked at the handle, the nearby soldiers began to chant, "Shadow's Bane! Shadow's Bane! Shadow's Bane!" With a loud groan and a sharp cry, Link ripped his sword free and held it above him. A cheer ran up and down the company as a ray of the sunset's light broke out over Hyrule Field and black blood dripped down his arm. Gingerly, he hacked at the bat's jaws until he could tear three large, yellow fangs from their terrible home: One for himself, one for Alfon, and one for Malon - if she wanted it. The rest he left to the soldiers who -after a nod from the squire- eagerly hacked and dismembered the corpse for their own trophies.

Epona, shivering from the cold and the terror of the battle, now stood near the other horses that managed to survive the night. The squire gently brushed her muzzle as the filly lay her head on his shoulder and snorted loudly to him. "Can you lead these to the lake, squire?" asked the captain behind him. "Yes sir." Link replied, turning back to him. "Good, I'd hate to see these wasted after so much sacrifice." the captain finished. The boy turned and looked after the wagon with sorrowful eyes. “Don’t worry about your master son.” The officer soothed, “He’s strong. And we gave him the strongest potion we have. The healers will sort him out fine.” He finished with a confident nod.

As Link remounted his filly and began to lead the other horses back to the South road, he shouted to the captain that there were two other soldiers with them, who broke off in the night to fight the bats. After thinking for a moment, the man shouted back, "We'll watch for them!", but his tone revealed his doubt that they could have survived.

Nudging Epona to a trot, the squire led the remaining ranch-horses and Alfon's great war-horse south. The Hylians reformed and marched north to secure what remained of Lon Lon Ranch. Many of the soldiers had smiled, or even patted Link on the shoulder encouragingly when they parted. The boy wondered at the change in their attitude toward him since the lakeside. "Now they see that I am not just some kid." he thought to himself. Despite their victory and the soldiers’ encouragement, Link still could not shake the terror and disgust that had loomed over him for the past few nights. “I miss my little house in the forest.” He lamented as his herd now caught up to the wagon of wounded.

“The forest!” the realization nearly jolted him off of his mount. Turning and looking swiftly over his shoulder, he could see it – just at the edge of the horizon: the ruined, blackened remains of the Forbidden Forest -his old home. The lights of Deya were close now and Link could even here the voices of the townsfolk calling out as the wagon approached. But the sudden rush of memories and the terrible images of his imagination filled his mind. The Kokiri, including Saria, fleeing in terror from an army of moblins and other dark creatures. They hacked, slashed, and burned everything in their path. Did any of them escape? Were any of them taken prisoner? What if they needed someone to rescue them?

Epona nickered and tramped her forehooves twice. She didn’t understand why her master was stopping outside the cover of the town. The herd, however, parted around the two of them, and continued to follow the wagon through the village and on toward the lake. "No, girl. We're taking a different path." he said as he turned her eastward again -toward the ruined forest. One of the soldiers from the wagon shouted something to him, but Link just cried back “It’s something I have to do!” and kicked Epona to a quick trot. "No!" his conscience warned, "It is not safe! And Alfon forbade you from going there!" but, despite the warning, the boy still could not let himself give up on his family. "Alfon did not know that I could fight and he won't be needing me now for several days." he reasoned. “I just… I have to know.”


	26. The Ruined Forest

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**_Early Morning, January 26, 610 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 198_ **

**_On the Old Forest Road_ **

Though months had passed since the raid, the acrid smell of smoke and wood-ash still hung over the remains of the Kokiri Forest. Every tree along the forest path was blackened and charred, without a single leaf or twig remaining on the upper branches. The once lush underbrush was now gone and the forest had an eerily open, yet claustrophobic feel to it. Link could not see very far ahead of him -for the trunks- but the icy winter breeze was able to swirl and move between the dead trees and bite at the boy's hands.

The last of the squire’s adrenaline had worn off now and he was shivering with exhaustion. He had not slept in over two days, had not eaten since a few bites of a ration the previous night, and had come through two serious fights in the same amount of time. Link struggled valiantly against his drooping eyelids and his dulling senses. He would have to find some sort of shelter soon and let himself and Epona rest.

His mount was uneasy and did not like entering the forest path. The smell of ash obscured all other scents and the creaking trees left her wary of an attack. As they approached the old rope-bridge that spanned the forest gorge, her master dosed peacefully – until she stepped onto the bridge and the sudden shift in movement jolted him awake. Link, embarrassed that he had nodded off, decided that they would attempt to find his old village and shelter there for a night before searching the forest for the Kokiri. Small springs were plentiful in the forest and Link still had a flint-stone from the cook's tent, so he could easily keep himself warm. He also still carried several rations in his pack, but would search the village for anything fresh to eat.

Despite the damage to the forest, the bridge did not appear to be burnt as the old wooden planks and ropes creaked and groaned under the pair. "The last time I was here..." Link said to Epona, "Saria had said goodbye to me." The little filly just continued to trudge forward. "I hope she's still alive." The boy finished to himself. Though the wood had become a dark and menacing place, no creature stirred and no monster attacked as they worked their way deeper into the forest.

It was mid-morning when they reached the glade where the Kokiri village had been. Link's heart sank even lower as everything around him was just as blackened and charred as the outer trees had been. The grass was gone. Most of the village was destroyed - though a couple of the Kokiris’ huts still stood. The forest stream that had crossed through the village was now dirty and filled with ash. The boy gently directed Epona to the nearest hut that was still standing intact. It was Mido's old house.

The flowers and small shrubs that the Chief Kokiri kept were gone as well as the heavy cloth that had once hung in the doorway. But the roof and walls were still solid and would offer ample shelter for Link and his horse. After dismounting and moving to enter the empty home, the young squire spotted a small mound of ashes just outside and to one side of the door. Curious, he stepped forward and examined the mound closely. It seemed to be a large pile of ashes from burned leaves -but why would Mido have kept a pile of leaves near his door? The boy drew his sword and began working the point of its blade through the ash-pile. The top layers were very light and crumbled and blew away in the breeze, but just below the surface, his sword met something hard, like a stone. He carefully rolled the object out of the ash and brushed it off with his hand. A blackened, human bone lay before him. Confusion mixed with horror as Link slapped his hand at the remaining ashes -revealing the charred skeleton of a child.

****

**_Early Morning, January 26, 610 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 198_ **

**_Lake Hylia_ **

The lake's garrison began to buzz with activity as the small herd of horses and cattle rushed down the lake road, followed by the wagon of wounded. "Call for the healers!" the driver shouted as they halted in front of the entrance to the temple, "The Marshal is wounded!" Captain Corin, overseeing matters at the garrison while Alfon was away, quickly rushed to the temple with two of his men. "You two, get the healers and help them get the Marshal inside!" he ordered, as he turned and made his way to the princess' throne room. When he reached the door, he could hear Zelda and Impa arguing about something inside, but he quickly knocked and shouted, "Captain Corin, Your Highness, permission to enter?"

The two women stopped abruptly as Impa threw the door open, "Yes? What is it?!" she nearly shouted at him. "The horses, my lady, they've just arrived." Corin reported. "They've done it!" gasped Zelda with a bright smile breaking across her face. "Yes, your highness," Corin replied as he bowed his head, "But it seems the Marshal was wounded in the attack. They are calling for the healers now." Zelda's happiness suddenly dropped into great fear, "Link! Where is Link?!" she asked. "He was not with the wagon, Your Highness, none know what became of him." The Captain answered.

Impa and Zelda rushed toward the temple's entrance, but were stopped by the soldiers carrying the Marshal inside. "Alfon! Alfon! Where is the boy?!" the minister asked urgently, but the knight could not respond. "He has been poisoned, my lady," the healer said, "We will do what we can, but he may not wake. The bat's venom is quite powerful." After the marshal's soldiers passed, another appeared at the entrance, carrying Malon. "This girl was in the wagon with the Lord-Marshal, your highness. She had been badly hurt; I am taking her to the infirmary." He said when he noticed Zelda staring. The princess recognized Alfon's deep-blue cloak wrapped around her and knew it must be the rancher’s daughter. She felt ill when she caught sight of the extent of her injuries and torture by Ingo. "Go..." she said with a cough, "Make haste!"

For several hours, the healers worked feverishly to save the stricken Marshal as Impa and Zelda watched. Malon, having been bathed and bandaged, slept soundly in a bed beside her father's as Talon lovingly stroked her hair with his remaining hand. As the nurses tried every remedy and herb they could think of, frustration began to mount. Alfon, large and strong as he was, was slowly slipping away. The Matron, pursing her lips and shaking her head, dismissed her staff of nurses, approached the princess, and curtsied low. "I beg your forgiveness, your highness, but this dark poison is beyond our skills. I am certain that it was created with foul magic by our enemy and we have no herb nor spell that can counteract it."

Impa's shoulders slumped in defeat as she stared at the stricken knight. "Our greatest warrior... the last of his majesty's knights... lost to a bat." she murmured. Zelda's glistening eyes began to stream tears down her cheeks. Alfon had been a wonderful source of confidence and strength for her over the past months, but she truly valued him for how he had taken to Link. Despite the boy's outburst, Zelda still cared for him as a dear friend and she secretly took great joy in seeing Alfon guide the lad and act as a father for him. "Oh Link," she wondered to herself, "Where are you?!"

The Matron stared thoughtfully at her for a moment before speaking again. "There is... one final remedy that we could try, your highness, though I have never seen it performed myself." Impa and Zelda both snapped their attention back to her. "What do you mean?" asked Impa. "There is... an 'old tale' that has been handed down over the centuries amongst the court physicians. It claims that the eldest female of the royal line has the ear of the Goddess Hylia. That any prayer the Queen... or..." she now motioned toward Zelda, "...the Princess makes will surely be heard. If her highness were willing..." she finished as she waved her arm toward Alfon and inclined her head.

Zelda stood motionless, staring at the knight on the bed with her heartbeat quickening. While some sort of power seemed to have awakened within her, she had no idea how to control it. She certainly had no idea how to use it to heal anyone. "Come." Impa said gently, as she guided the princess to the side of Alfon's bed. The sheikah gently lifted his hand and placed it in Zelda's. "I will be with you." she whispered soothingly into Zelda's ear, as she placed her own hands on top of Zelda's shoulders.

Telma now appeared at the infirmary door. Her mouth hanging open in shock, but she made no sound. As the princess clasped Alfon's hand and closed her eyes, Impa nodded to Telma, and motioned that she may enter. The beautiful bar maiden dashed across the room and knelt beside her beloved knight - opposite Zelda. "My lord! My lord! Please... speak to me!" she sobbed quietly, but Alfon did not answer her. She leaned in, close to his ear, "Please... _my love_... I cannot live without you! Don't leave me!" she whispered. Though the minister continued to hold her stoic expression, Impa's heart began to ache for this poor woman. "She really would do anything for him..." she thought to herself as she watched Telma sob and plead for her lover to awaken.

Zelda remained silent with her eyes closed for several minutes. She did not know what to expect and had hoped that something would occur on its own. When it became obvious that she needed _to do_ something, she began to silently pray in her heart. "Goddess Hylia, we pray for this man: Alfon, son of Duron. He is very ill and near death. We ask you, your grace, to heal this man and return him to us. He is vital to our survival."

It was a little dry perhaps, but the princess had never attempted to heal someone through prayer before. She opened her eyes slightly and looked at the knight’s face. He was turning a sickly grey and his hand was growing colder. Telma's hands shook as she held a handkerchief over her face and sobbed. "It's not working!" Zelda thought to herself with panic rising. Closing her eyes again, she focused on her memories of Alfon and Link. How they trained together, how the marshal had guided his young squire these past months through every facet of his life, and how he was steadily turning him from a boy into a soldier. Zelda kept thinking to herself, "He's such a good man! Link needs him to be his father! Please, spare him!"

In her mind's eye, she could see them training on the practice field with their swords, then marching around the camp inspecting the soldiers and their equipment. Next, they were gathered with Telma and the other soldiers in the tavern; laughing and singing. Finally, she remembered the image of how they had traveled to the Forbidden Forest. How Link had sought out his friends and Alfon chased after him. Zelda had her arms wrapped around Alfon's waist as she rode behind him on his horse. As she turned and looked around them, she could see the cruelly burned carcasses of the trees and the bones of the murdered creatures of the forest. "This... this is not right." The princess wondered to herself, "I have never seen the forest in this state." As the great Hylian war-horse charged down the forest road, Alfon began muttering under his breath, "Goddess Hylia, let him be alive. Keep Link alive and strong! I beg you!" As she listened to him, she realized, “He is afraid… he genuinely believes that Link might be dead!”  
  


The vision suddenly shifted as her mind fell upon Link. Now she was standing alone in a small glade within the burned forest. Darkness had fallen and very little could be seen in the overcast gloom, but Zelda could make out a small hut close by, carved from the trunk of an ancient tree. Inside, she found her friend sleeping beside a brilliant red filly. The glowing remnants of a small campfire smoldered close by their feet. The princess moved to wake him, but a sudden crunch of snow outside warned of an approaching stranger. Zelda turned and saw a strange creature crouched very low, walking on its hands and feet toward the hut.

Its arms and legs seemed to be nearly skeletal thin but it moved with terrifying speed through the snow. Its eyes blazed with an eerie yellow light as it dashed to the doorway of the house. "Link! Get up! Look out!" Zelda cried, as the boy opened his eyes and gasped with fright. The image of Link, the house, and the creature quickly vanished, and Zelda was left standing in the darkness. "No! No! Alfon! Alfon you have to save him! Don't let that creature hurt him!" she shouted into the darkness. Very slowly, the knight's hand began to warm and weakly squeezed Zelda's hand.

Impa's eyes too were now closed as she gently gripped Zelda's shoulders. With a very faint whisper, she spoke to Telma, "Call to him Telma." With a hoarse voice, the maiden once again plead with her beloved, "Alfon, my lord... my love... please speak to me. I am here. Please Alfon... come back to me!" Long, silent seconds crept by as everything in the room seemed to become very still. With a sudden gasp, the great knight began to draw deeper breaths.

His color slowly returned as he weakly rocked his head toward Telma and opened his eyes slightly. "I am here... my lady." he murmured as he reached a shaking hand up and brushed a tear from her cheek. "Alfon..." she breathlessly whispered as she leaned in and kissed him. The princess opened her eyes and softly set Alfon's hand back on the bed. Impa gave her shoulders an encouraging squeeze as they turned to leave the infirmary. The matron and all of her nurses, curtsied low and bowed their heads as she passed. "Bless you, your highness! Goddess bless you!" Telma called to her as she cradled Alfon's head against her breast. Zelda turned and looked back at her. She simply smiled and bowed her head once to the woman and left.


	27. Lost Shadows

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**_Mid-Day, January 26, 610 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 198_ **

**_The Ruined Kokiri Village_ **

Epona watched Link from the doorway of Mido's old house. The inside reeked of smoke and ash, but it offered shelter from the cold wind, which was steadily rising as the day grew brighter. Link had found three separate ash mounds in the village and gave himself the grim task of burying the poor victims. With his sword, he chiseled away at the frozen earth beside the forest stream until he had a grave large enough for the three sets of bones. The ashes were swept into the stream and Link watched mournfully as the water carried them away. Once he mounded the frozen dirt over the bones, he washed his hands in the stream, and returned to Epona.

While he worked, images of the attack kept flashing through his mind. The moblins rode down the forest road, erupting into the village unexpectedly. They dropped lit torches and fired burning arrows into the trees. The Kokiri ran screaming as the beasts tore into their village. Some were killed by arrows; others were cut down with crude swords. The beasts probably ate most of them -alive or dead. The burned bodies must have been those who caught fire and the moblins left them to suffer. Again, and again, Link saw his friends butchered and killed by the monsters he was not here to stop. He covered his face with his hands, trying to drive away the horrific images, and wept. Epona laid on the floor beside him, and rested her head on his lap.

**_January 27, 610 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 199_ **

**_The Ruined Kokiri Village_ **

They spent that first cold night in the dark. Link was too exhausted from the lack of sleep and food to go looking for firewood, so he curled up beside Epona and drew his little cloak over them as best he could. But by dawn, they were both shivering and quite hungry. As the squire searched the old village, the filly followed him, looking for grass to eat. Link's old home was gone, only the burnt stump of the old tree remained. The storehouse, near the pathway to the Great Deku Tree, was badly burned on the outside, but a few useful items were found inside: an earthen pot of dried fruits & nuts, several large branches fit to make torches, a length of rope, and several extra Kokiri tunics and trousers. Judging by the damage to the rest of the village, Link assumed that no one had run to the shop to hide, so the Moblins must not have bothered searching it.

Link returned to Mido's house with his discoveries and eagerly tasted the dried fruits. They were a bit stale, but he did not sense anything foul about them, so he hungrily began to eat. Epona, disappointed at the lack of grass, nipped at Link's shoulder until he offered her a handful of the dried fruits. After eating, he searched through the pile of spare Kokiri clothing. His own tunic had become rather small over the past few months -maybe it had shrunk when he washed it? In addition, his soldier's leggings were doing very little against the winter air and Link hoped to add a second layer from the Kokiris' collection.

After a few minutes, the boy had chosen a new tunic to cover his mail and a new set of forest green trousers to pull over his soldier's leggings. Looking down at himself, the squire felt strange to be dressed in the Kokiri clothing again. "It's like I'm robbing their graves." he said to Epona, who was shivering as she looked at him. “Oh,” he muttered, realizing that he had forgotten her, “Hang on!” Grabbing a needle and threat from the basket of clothes he had found, Link began to sew several of the smaller tunics together until he had made a crude blanket for Epona's back. "Here you go girl." he said as he draped it over her, "Now you won't be so cold." The filly snorted loudly and rubbed the side of her head against Link's chest. "You're welcome Epona!" he said with a little smile.

Despite the horse's affection, he still felt terrible for what had happened to his friends and couldn't shake the guilt that it was all his fault. "Come on," he said to the horse, "let's find some firewood before it gets late." Having searched the village, Link led Epona behind Mido's house to the path that led deeper into the Lost Woods. The young horse whinnied her objections and tramped nervously as her master tried to lead her deeper into the forest. "Shh, it's ok girl," He soothed, "this used to be my home." The filly finally relented and followed him, but she kept her eyes wide and searching. Something in this forest did not feel right to her. The first hundred yards of the Lost Woods were the same as the Kokiri Forest: Blackened and mostly reduced to ash. But the farther Link and Epona traveled, the less pronounced the damage became until eventually, the forest seemed to be whole and untouched.

"The moblins must not have come this far." Link said with a little hope returning. "Let's find some solid wood quickly. We'll search the woods tomorrow when we have more daylight." he said as he looked up at the sky -which was starting to grow dim. The boy began to gather armfuls of fallen branches and twigs as Epona waited nervously on the path. The young horse steadily grew more uneasy as the silence within the forest seemed to become more pronounced. Darting glances back and forth, she began to slowly back her way down the path, back toward the village.

Link, carrying a very large bundle of firewood, stopped when he saw how terrified she looked and asked her what was wrong. The young mare was staring straight down the forest path toward its dark center. Link stretched his neck and searched the path for anything that could be frightening her, but saw nothing. “You’re thinking about those bats…” he murmured to her, “Its ok, they are all gone now.” He tried to soothe, as he tied the sticks into a bundle with his rope and draped it over Epona’s back. Suddenly, a dark shadow crept out from the side of the path, far ahead. It was small and rather far away, but it had menacing yellow eyes and was coming toward them.

Rearing and whinnying loudly, Epona backed further away. Link quickly turned and looked up the path where Epona was staring once more. For an instant, he thought he could see a dark shape, crawling low along the path, but it darted to the side and disappeared into the forest. The squire quickly mounted Epona and the two dashed back down the path to the village. “It was just a wolf.” Link tried to reason with himself, “O-or maybe a raccoon. Nothing to worry about.” But the speed at which Epona retreated, told him that she knew it was something more than just an animal.

As night fell, the boy kept a small campfire burning in the center of Mido's old house. Besides the warmth it gave, Link hoped the fire would keep away whatever creature he and Epona had seen. Even still, when he laid down on the floor to rest, he held his sword tight in-hand.

Late that night, as Link slept and the fire burned low, the shadow slowly crept its way into the village from the path to the Lost Woods. That smell... those clothes... it had not seen or smelled these things in months. The creature stretched itself out low on its hands and knees and sniffed the path where Link and Epona had passed. “It can’t be him... he is dead.” It wondered angrily.

Link tossed and turned by the dying fire as he wandered through bitter nightmares. First, he was chasing the moblins as they charged into the forest, lighting everything around them on fire. Next, he was cradling one of the wounded Kokiri. She had been stabbed through the chest and was coughing up a large amount of blood. Link searched his pack furiously for a bandage, but he could not find one -his hands were shaking too badly. Finally, a dark, hate-filled creature emerged from the burned forest and began to search through the village. It was dark now, and Link could barely see it, but he knew it was human-shaped and crawling on all fours. It seemed to stop and sniff the ground several times, before charging into one of the abandoned houses. Screams erupted from the house as two Kokiri survivors dashed out and ran into the forest, with the creature pursuing them. "I have to help them!" his mind screamed as he suddenly jolted awake, and found the creature from his nightmare standing in the doorway of the house.

**~ _At Lake Hylia_ ~**

Lord Alfon remained in the warm embrace of his beloved for the entirety of his first day in the infirmary. That night, Telma lay her head on his shoulder and draped her arm across his chest. She did not want to leave him, even for a moment. The next morning, as Link set out about the Kokiri village, Alfon was helped to his feet by Telma and the nurses. "My lord, please... your arm!" she fussed. "It's nothing," grunted the marshal, "A knight should be able to rise through any injury, or never rise again!"

After a few shaking steps around the infirmary, the nurses commanded that he drink several additional red colored potions and rest. Closing his eyes and breathing deeply, Alfon waited patiently for sleep to return, when Princess Zelda entered the infirmary. Telma, leaping to her feet, curtsied low and bowed her head. "Your highness, we are honored." she greeted, reverently. Alfon struggled to get out of bed, but the potions were already making his body weak and wobbly. After several moments’ effort, he gave up and collapsed back onto the bed. "I beg your forgiveness, your highness... I would rise... but..." he started, with this speech starting to slur. Zelda smiled kindly at him and raised a hand, "No no, good knight. Stay and rest! You are pardoned." Impa now slowly swept through the infirmary door, carrying a large tray of food.

"Oh, my lady," breathed Telma, "You are very kind to think of Lord Alfon in such a way! But I am afraid he has just taken a powerful potion from the matron and will not be able to eat for some time." The minister leaned to the side, to look around Telma and inspect the marshal for himself. "Indeed?" she asked. The man had already lost consciousness and was snoring contently on his bed. Straightening up and taking a deep breath, Impa began, "Actually, this was for you Telma. You haven't eaten since he arrived and you need your strength."

Telma's lips quivered and her eyes began to glisten. "You are too kind, my lady." she whispered, fighting back tears and gently taking the tray. "Have the nurses said when he will be fit for duty again?" asked the princess, "We need him for another mission." Her eyes darted from Zelda to Impa and back again. "They have not said, your highness. I was hoping the Marshal might be permitted to rest for some time after... after his ordeal." As she finished, she turned to look back on Alfon again. "I too, would rather see him rest," Zelda replied, "But Link has gone missing and we need Alfon to find him."

"Link..." Telma echoed absentmindedly. In her terror at the prospect of losing Alfon, she had completely forgotten about the boy. Now with a sharp gasp of realization, she cried "He's _missing_?! How? When? Where?" Fresh tears of shame began to form in her eyes as she rung her handkerchief in fear. She had forgotten him! How could she have forgotten her little soldier?! "The same company that loaded Lord Alfon onto the wagon reported that Link was leading the horses from the ranch southward to the lake, just behind the wagon. The horses arrived with the wagon, but Link was nowhere to be found." Impa answered as she turned an eye toward Zelda, "We... _believe_... that he may have gone to the Forbidden Forest to look for his friends and to see if any had survived the attack." The princess, despite her composure, was desperate to send someone to rescue Link. "We think that there may be something in the forest..." Zelda began, "He might be in danger."

"Send me, your highness." Grunted a voice to her side. Zelda turned, and found Talon slowly sitting up from his bed. Most of his bandages were now removed, but he was still covered in a large number of dark bruises and missing his right hand. "No papa! Don't go!" Malon sobbed as she reached for him from her own bed. The rancher smiled and held her hand for a moment, "My child, that boy is the reason why you are safe. I must go!" he said as he struggled to his shaking feet, "Please, your highness, let me find the boy. It's the least I can do."

The princess was moved by the man's courage and sense of honor, but she could not send a man who was missing his hand into a fight. "I am sorry," she began sadly, "It must be Lord Alfon. He is gifted with his skill at arms and..." her eyes drew down to Talon's bandaged stump, "I believe he has the greatest chance for success with this mission." His mustache quivered pitifully as he tried to conceal his disappointment. "As you wish, your highness." he answered with a slight bow.

Impa and Zelda located the matron and inquired after Alfon's condition. "We've given him the strongest healing potion we can create, your highness. He should sleep very deeply for the next few hours. After that..." she trailed off as she thought hard about her patient, "... after he wakes, he _may_ be strong enough to ride. But I would advise against it! Another man should be chosen if the mission is urgent." She warned. But Zelda shook her head, "No... it must be him. It cannot be done by anyone else." The princess did not fully understand why, but she knew she was right in saying so. Her vision had shown Alfon rushing through the forest to find Link. She only prayed that he would get there before that creature found him.


	28. The Temple of the Forest

****

**_Before Dawn, January 28, 610 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 200_ **

**_The Ruined Kokiri Village_ **

Link had leapt to his feet and now stood with his sword ready inside Mido's ruined home. Epona stamped her hooves and whinnied loudly, but the menacing creature did not move. It just stood there, slightly hunched forward, with one hand resting on the frame of the doorway. The squire slowly crouched, still keeping his eyes locked on the intruder, and pushed what remained of his firewood onto the coals of his campfire. Gradually, the crackling of new flames filled the room and the fire's light grew stronger.

The creature's gaze shifted from Link to the fire; its raspy breathing intensifying. In the brighter light, Link could see that it was much closer to a man than an animal. It was only a little smaller than he was, with two thin arms and legs, and a small nose just below those luminous, yellow eyes. Its body was covered in a deep black, ash-like substance, that cracked and flaked as it moved. Link began to wonder if he was looking at some poor creature that had been burned by the fire; when it drew a deep, rattling breath.

"I... remember... good... fires." it croaked, still staring at Link's fire, "Before... bad... fire." Link still gripped his sword tightly, but relaxed his stance a little. "Who are you?" he asked, surprised that the creature could speak. Epona stopped whinnying, but kept a nervous eye on the creature. "The... stream... poison... after-" the intruder began again, but its voice grew even raspier and it began to cough after the first few words. Small puffs of crushed ash escaped its lips as it tried, pitifully, to clear its throat.

The longer Link studied the creature, the more compassion he felt for it. It had a frightening appearance, but it had not attacked him and it seemed to be a victim of the Moblins' fire. Very slowly, Link un-slung his waterskin and looped its strap over the end of an un-lit torch. The creature's eyes drifted back to Link's as he slowly held his last drinking water out to this creature. "Here, there is enough left for one good drink. Go ahead, take it." he said, as the creature reached out with shaking hands and took the skin.

It was very careful to move slowly as it took the water from Link, but after stepping back away from him, it quickly removed the stopper and poured the water into its mouth. Gasping and gulping, the wretched thing seemed desperate for every last drop -even twisting the skin for every possible ounce. When the skin was empty, the creature dropped the it onto the floor and sank to its knees, giving out a small sigh of relief. Its breathing seemed to clear and the menacing glow of its eyes dimmed. "I... remember... you... Link." It began again, now with a familiar voice. "The Great Deku Tree... wanted us to watch over you... but you left us." The stranger tilted his head and looked longingly at the sword in Link's hand. "You took our only weapon... and left us." The squire's mouth dropped open in shock, " _Mido_?" he gasped.

The ruined Kokiri remained still, resting on both of his knees in front of the campfire. "They killed so many before we knew what was happening..." he began, " We could not fight them, so we ran. Some into the houses, some into the forest. I... I... tried to hide but... the fire caught up to me." Mido began to shudder with the flood of memories. Link sheathed his sword and knelt beside him. Gently, he tried to rest his hand on his brother’s shoulder, but his flesh seemed to be made of ashes -just like the burned leaves that covered the bones outside- which crumbled and flaked apart at his touch.

The boy quickly pulled his hand back, but a small crater had already formed and bits of ash fell onto the floor. Mido didn't seem to notice as he continued, "They... burned everything... everything we had... but they were late. They had to leave before the Hylians came. That was when she found us." Link's ears twitched, "Who? Who found you?" he asked gently. "The lady of the forest..." Mido murmured, still staring into the fire, "She lives in the old temple in the Lost Woods. She took us there... kept us alive... told me to bring the others..." Link's heart beat faster with the thrill that others had survived. "Who escaped?" he asked urgently, but Mido didn't seem to hear him.

Link desperately tried to think of what he could say that would bring him out of his miserable stupor. "Mido..." he began again, speaking very softly, "It's ok... I've come back to help you." The burned Kokiri grimaced, "Help... you can't help us." he grumbled. "Yes, Yes I can!" insisted Link, "We have a new town by Lake Hylia, there's plenty of good water there, we can all-" but the boy was cut off. "The children of the forest... can never leave the forest!" growled Mido, the glare in his eyes returning. "But Mido, I've left the forest and see? I'm ok!" Link tried optimistically. "You?" answered Mido, turning a menacing eye toward Link, "What do you have to do with anything?"

**~ _At Lake Hylia_ ~**

Alfon ground his teeth, but remained silent. He could not let the women know that his arm was still throbbing in great pain. He had to prove that he was fit to leave the care of the nurses. He stood at the Lake's side with Captain Corin a few paces away, and Princess Zelda, Impa, Telma, and the Matron of the Infirmary watching. Marshal and Captain were both armed with wooden swords and shields. The Lord’s task, was to disarm the Captain and prove that he was capable of combat after his treatments. A few months before, this would have been an easy battle, but Corin had trained hard with his soldiers and shed his undisciplined body. Now he was a skilled swordsman again.

The two tensed, weapons ready as Impa stepped forward. "Soldiers ready?" she asked. Both men nodded. "Soldiers... _begin_!" she cried as she stepped back. The two clashed fiercely, striking, blocking, and turning about the ring. With each contact, Alfon's arm burned and throbbed harder, but he pushed his way through the pain and kept fighting. After a few minutes, several other spectators had gathered and began cheering to each of the men. Zelda's heart was pounding at the spectacle. She desperately wanted Alfon to win, but she was very concerned that he might not be fit for the mission to save Link.

After nearly twenty minutes of combat, Corin charged at Alfon and held their swords locked together. "The knee, my lord." He barely whispered over the shouting crowd. The marshal darted a glance down and saw that Corin had placed his right leg too far forward. With a great heave, Alfon threw Corin onto his back heel, hooked his right leg with his sword, and flipped the captain onto his back. A mixture of loud cheers and heavy groans rolled up and down the training pit as Alfon lowered the point of his sword to Corin's neck. "I yield, my lord... you have me." gasped the captain with a grin. The Marshal's arm was burning with great pain, but he forced a smile as he helped the captain back to his feet. "You fought well Corin! I am proud of you!" he proclaimed loudly.

Princess Zelda clapped her hands and smiled broadly with excitement, "His is strong enough!" she thought happily to herself. As the two men approached however, Impa frowned. "That was quite a match Marshal, Captain." she began as both men nodded to her, "A disappointing end though. Any trained soldier knows not to throw his leg so far forward." Corin's smile quickly faltered as he darted nervous glances between the minister and his marshal. Not wanting to betray his commander, he turned his face to a downcast look and replied, "A lesson I won't soon forget, my lady." The princess did not know what the three were talking about, but she could sense the tension building between them. "Impa, be kind. The men fought very well I think." she said softly. Alfon and Corin both bowed low to her as Impa inclined her head. "As you wish, your grace."

While Telma embraced her knight and whispered loving things into his ear, Zelda turned to the Matron, "I believe Lord Alfon has proven himself, but you are chieftain over these matters. What do you say?" she asked. The old nurse narrowed her eyes and studied the recovered knight carefully. She doubted that he had fully healed... but he was needed for an urgent mission and had just completed twenty minutes of combat without faltering. "If the need is great, your highness, I believe his Lordship is strong enough." Alfon beamed broadly as a sudden look of worry came over Telma. "With Your Highness' leave, I will depart at once!" he declared. "Oh Alfon... must you so soon?" Telma whimpered softly as Zelda motioned for him to depart. "Go and be well Marshal! Bring Link home swiftly." she answered. Within an hour, the great knight was again arrayed in his brilliant plate armor and raced up the Lake road toward Central Hyrule. Corin followed closely behind, offering to escort the Marshal as far as the forest's edge.

**_Morning, January 28, 610 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 200_ **

**_The Ruined Kokiri Village_ **

Mido, Link, and Epona sheltered in the ruins of the Kokiri’s home until daylight began to glow in the eastern sky. Despite all of Link's efforts, he could not convince Mido to leave the forest. He kept making strange comments about Link being different -that he was always meant to leave the forest. Soon, the shadowy forest dweller began to insist that Link accompany him to the Temple. "The lady has commanded me to bring all the Kokiri to her... she may want to meet you as well." he croaked as his voice grew dry again. The squire had never met, or even heard of any "lady of the forest" when he lived in the village, but he did know that there was an ancient temple hidden within the Lost Woods. The Great Deku Tree had forbade the Kokiri from visiting it as it was a 'sacred place.'

"Is... Saria there?" he asked meekly. He had pressed Mido earlier to tell him if any other Kokiri had escaped, but he had not given any names. He stared blankly at Link for a moment, his bright yellow eyes seemed unfocused and lost in thought. "Saria?" he echoed, "Yes, she's there." A great thrill of excitement shot through Link: She was alive! His best friend, the only Kokiri that ever really accepted him, was alive! "Let's go then!" the boy shouted as he began to gather his gear. "You won't need that." Mido mumbled as he waved his hand toward Link's sword, "The lady will keep us safe." Link stopped and rested his hand on the sword's grip. He had carried this sword for several months now and had counted on it to save his life on three separate occasions. "It's no trouble, I am used to carrying it now." he replied confidently. The ashen creature responded with a little sneer, but didn't object any further.

They traveled into the forest at a fast pace. Link riding Epona, and Mido sprawled on all fours, skittering across the path like an insect. The squire was downcast at how much his old friend had changed. He didn't seem like a Kokiri at all anymore -more like some strange creature. "What happened to you?" he asked during their journey, "I mean... other than getting burned." Mido stopped briefly to give Link a bitter glare, "The spirits of the forest are tied to the forest. Whatever becomes of the forest, becomes the spirits." he answered. The boy was puzzled. If the Kokiri were connected to the forest in such an intimate way then... why had he not changed as well? A small twinge of fear bit at his stomach: Had Saria changed too? Somehow that would have made everything much worse for him -if his failure to stop the moblins from burning the forest had somehow disfigured his friend and left her skittering around the ground like a spider.

After traveling deeper and deeper into the Lost Woods for several hours, the three entered a small glade where the canopy opened above them and the bright sunlight poured in. A great stone structure, like a large mansion, stood in the heart of the Lost Woods before them. Its walls and stone pillars were encased in ivy and large vines, but small designs in the grey stonework still peeked out here and there. A pair of great stone doors on iron hinges stood at the center of the structure, facing the forest path.

Mido quickly skittered over to it and began to push one half of the door open. "Leave the horse." he croaked back to Link as he dismounted. The boy gently brushed Epona's muzzle and patted her neck, "It will be ok girl. Just stay here and wait for me." he soothed, then turned to head toward the temple. Epona nickered and bit at the shoulder of his tunic. The filly did not trust this place. While the sun was bright, there was something dark and ominous about this forsaken mansion and the ashen creature that led them here. Link patted her head again and brought a dried apple out from his pack. "Here, take this and wait for me." he said, as he climbed the steps to the temple door. "Come on," hissed Mido from the shadows inside, "The Lady is expecting you."


	29. The Grey Phantom

**_Mid-Day, January 28, 610 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 200_ **

**_The Temple of the Forest, Lost Woods_ **

The shadowy Kokiri pushed the great stone doors closed behind Link and crawled deeper into the temple. Though the boy did not believe that his companion had any violent intentions, he could not help but feel unsettled by the dark appearance of the temple interior. Nearly all of the windows had become overgrown with ivy and allowed very little light to enter. The floors were dirt covered and many of the paintings and tapestries along the walls had faded or rotted to nothing. The temple was built like a fortress, with layers of bottle-necks after the initial entrance, to allow defenders to resist a large assault. A series of chambers opened and closed one after another along a long central hallway, which the two followed. Soon, Link began to feel that this structure was not a temple at all -at least, not originally. "Where are the Kokiri?" asked Link, disappointed that no one had met them at the doors. "This way." answered Mido impatiently.

They traveled for several more minutes through the empty temple, passing dimly lit chambers and overgrown courtyards, until they finally reached the main hall at the back. Mido pushed open a badly rotted door and entered, waving at Link to follow him. The room was quite large; very tall with stained glass windows near the ceiling and was shaped like a perfect octagon -with eight sides. From the north, south, east, and west: four different staircases descended to a stone floor in the center. The two had entered from the south side of the room. Link’s companion quickly scampered down the stairs and crawled to the middle of the room. At the center, was a large square hole cut into the floor. In the gloom, the squire could not see how deep it was, but it was certainly wide enough for a man to fall inside. Standing at the top of the stairs, he slowly scanned his surroundings. Something was wrong. No one had greeted them or challenged their arrival. Where were the Kokiri? Where was the Lady of the Forest? Why did this 'temple' have such an ominous feel to it? He wondered anxiously.

Link rested his hand on the hilt of the sword at his side, "Where are the Kokiri?" he asked his brother firmly. "They are here child." answered the voice of a woman. Mido crouched on his haunches, hands splayed on the floor in front of him, as he faced Link from the center of the room. Gradually, beside him, the spectral image of an old woman faded into view. She seemed to be made of a dim, silver light that steadily pulsed brighter and dimmer, like a slow heartbeat. Her face was lined and serious and her hair was pulled back into a tight bun, but she wore a soft, silken dress - like a robe, which was made of the same silver light. She hovered only a few inches above the ground, even though she possessed the body and limbs of a Hylian woman. The boy was startled by her unexpected appearance, and gripped his sword even tighter. "Are you the 'Lady of the Forest'?" he asked with a shaking voice.

After studying him for a moment she replied, "I am the warden of this temple." Link was concerned by her evasive response, but she quickly spoke again, "What is your name child?" The squire hesitated and glanced at Mido for some guidance, but the yellow-eyed creature just stared straight ahead and said nothing. "I am Link." he replied quietly. The silver lady's light seemed to pulse brighter as Link spoke his name. Her eyebrows raised and her mouth hung slightly open in mild surprise. "You... you drew the Master Sword, did you not?" she asked. Link was stunned, "How... How do you know that?" he stammered. The specter turned to look down a Mido, who inclined his head slightly. "You have done well." she said to him, "I will inform the master of your obedience." The glow in Mido's eyes seemed to intensify and he muttered, "Thank you, my lady."

Link's heart began to beat faster as a sudden rush of fear came over him. "What master? What are you talking about? Where are the Kokiri?!" he demanded. The ghost seemed to ignore his questions and curled her lips into a wicked smile. "It is good that you are here child! The Great Lord of Darkness will be pleased that you have come to us!" The boy swiftly drew his sword and crouched into a fighting stance. "You serve Gannondorf!" he shouted as he slowly backed his way to the door behind him. The silver lady let out a shivering cackle as the image of her face seemed to melt and twist into one of a fanged skull. "All serve the God of Darkness child!" her shrill voice echoed around the hall. "Bring him!" she bellowed as Mido lunged forward and quickly climbed the steps at Link's feet.

**~ _On the Forest Road_ ~**

Lord Alfon and Captain Corin looked up at the ominous form of the Forbidden Forest. For years, all of Hyrule had warned its children to never pass under its boughs, lest the wolves or vengeful spirits of the forest would eat them alive. Now, with the forest blacked and ruined, the feeling of dread seemed to grow tenfold. The marshal carefully studied the path before him as Corin nervously kept watch. "Do you see anything, My Lord?" he whispered. The knight slowly ran his fingers over the icy path and felt the small impressions made by Epona's hooves. "Thank the Goddess!" he thought to himself, as he nodded to Corin. "He passed this way... within the last few days." Alfon replied.

Corin turned and looked down the path, farther into the forest. "What in the blazes would drive that boy to go into the Forbidden Forest?" The Marshal hesitated for a moment, then answered, "He is looking for a friend... or lost family member, I believe." "Poor lad," continued Corin, "He won't find anyone alive in there." Alfon quickly climbed back onto his mount and spurred it forward to a trot. "Maybe not... and... maybe," he muttered to the captain as he passed, "If I should not return, tell the Princess to choose a new Marshal and to carry on the fight!" “Go with the Goddess, my lord!” Corin cried after him.

He kept his horse at a brisk pace as they wandered down the forest path. Deeper and deeper, it ran into the ruined wilderness, over a rope bridge, until finally opening into a clearing. Several small wooden structures lay burned and ruined around the glade, with one or two still standing upright. It looked like a small village had been here, but all of the houses were too small for Hylians. Lord Alfon thought back to Link's stories and remembered that he had been told of the 'Kokiri' tribe: a group of forest children that never grew up.

"So this was his village..." muttered Alfon to himself, "This was his home." A twinge of pain gripped at his heart, seeing such a secluded sanctuary ruined by his enemy; especially the thought of terrified children being burned alive. But the marshal shook his head and forced himself to focus, he did not have time to grieve for Hyrule's lost children! He had to find his missing ward! Once again, he slipped down from his mount and scanned the ground for any sign of Link or Epona's passage. He found several tracks moving around the village, but always returning to one of the standing houses. Inside, he found the remains of a recent campfire and the hulls of several nuts on the floor. “He was here!” Alfon realized, “But where has he gone?!”

**~ _In the Temple_ ~**

Link ran for his life back through the temple. The shrieking cackle of the silver woman seemed to echo after him as Mido doggedly chased after him through the long passage. Link retraced his steps toward the front of the temple, but the rooms seemed to shift and change on their own. What was once a straight corridor, now became a dead end. Fighting panic, the boy began to shift and change his course, turning this way and that to throw his pursuer off the trail, but all the while, becoming more and more lost within the giant stone mansion. After what seemed like an eternity of running, Link suddenly burst out into a courtyard that he had never seen before. He quickly slammed the door behind him and desperately looked around for an escape. The courtyard seemed to be an immense garden, now horribly overgrown, with brambles and Ivy covering the walls and grounds. But in the corner opposite Link, was a large stone well with a rope descending down inside it. The squire dashed forward and, seizing the rope, leapt inside the well.

The rope creaked and strained dangerously, but held firm and Link carefully lowered himself deeper into the well until he was certain he could not be seen from above. After only a few tense seconds, Mido's menacing yellow eyes appeared above, searching the blackness for his prey. The boy’s hands strained on the rope as he held his breath -trying to remain as silent and motionless as possible. The creature narrowed its eyes at the blackness of the well and hissed, it knew its victim was very close. Link's heart pounded against his ribs and his fingers burned with strain against the coarse rope. "You don't see me... you don't see me!" he silently plead to himself. Slowly, the ashen monster reached a boney finger out and plucked the rope like a harp-string. His eyes blazed with sudden fury as the rope's tension revealed Link's presence.

With no escape above and no desire to kill his old friend, Link swiftly lowered himself further and further down into the darkness. As Mido hissed and snarled above, Link continued downward, expecting to find a pool of water, until his feet hit a hard stone floor. Releasing the rope and groping the darkness, the squire found that he was now in a long stone tunnel, with a small trickle of water flowing down its center. Keeping his sword in one hand, he followed the stone wall with his other as he carefully stepped down into the tunnel. His attacker’s hissing and grunts faded behind him as Link found several turns in the underground aqueduct. Soon, a dim light came into view ahead as Link approached the bottom of another well. This one was encased in vines and brambles which had stretched their way down searching for the water below. The young soldier quickly checked again for any sign of pursuit, then sheathed his sword and hauled himself up the vines.

The well opened into another overgrown courtyard, but this one had several small cages placed near the door to the temple. As Link pulled himself over the stone edge and got to his feet, he caught sight of their captives. Four small creatures, much like Mido, cowered and shivered within the cages. One, the nearest to the well, grasped at the bars and stared intently at Link. Her deep blue eyes were filled with sadness and fear. The squire stepped toward her, reaching out a hand, but her eyes suddenly widened and she frantically pointed behind him. Link could only turn and see the flash of Mido's vengeful yellow eyes before a heavy stone knocked him unconscious. The caged Kokiri whimpered and gasped at their chieftain’s violent attack on Link. Mido just glared at them and slowly dragged Link back to the central hall.

The boy drifted back to consciousness with a throbbing pain above his right eye. He was on his back, laid onto the cold stone floor of the temple's hall, next to the opening in the center of the room. Mido crouched close by, keeping watch over his victim and holding Link's sword in his ashen hands. Link tried to sit up, but his head was swimming and his eye sight was badly blurred. He felt sick to his stomach and was sure he would pass out again soon. "Troublesome brat!" came the eerie voice of the silver phantom, "Our master will enjoy consuming you!"

Even through his closed eyelids, Link could make out the grey glow of the evil ghost that Mido served, hovering on the other side of the pit. "M-Mido..." groaned Link, "Don't do this..." The shadow quickly shuffled over to Link and hissed in his ear, "Quiet you!" But the squire opened his eyes and looked right into his brother's. "I should have been better to you... Mido... I should have been... your friend." The lost Kokiri blinked and leaned back away from Link; the menacing glow from his eyes dimmed slightly. "...'friend'?" he echoed quietly.

"Enough!" Shrieked the ghost, "Push him in! Feed him to the master!" Far below them, a bubbling growl echoed up from the pit and rippled through the hall. The ruined Kokiri shuddered and slowly put his hands onto Link's side, preparing to roll him into the hole. "Mido... I'm sorry." whispered Link. The boy believed that he was going to die, but he wanted to make amends with his old rival before he left. They had fought each other terribly for years over the attention of Saria and the Deku Tree. Time which should have been spent in friendship.

Mido's ashen hands trembled slightly as he hesitated, "...me too..." he replied, as he reached behind him and grasped the Kokiri sword. "Do it!" shouted the phantom, as he looked up at her. His mind broke through the dark fog and wandered back over the happy years the Kokiri had spent together in the forest. The games, the summer bonfires, the joyous feasts, even chasing fireflies together through the forest. They had a happy life and Mido had always been cruel to Link. Always, he made sure that Link was not having as much fun as the other Kokiri. It was because of the Deku Tree! He had ordered them to accept a Hylian child into their family. Mido always resented how the Spirit of the Forest seemed to favor the boy, but he knew that it was unfair. Link's mother had died right in front of them, begging the Guardian of the Forest to protect her child... what could they have done?

He closed his eyes and remembered the last words the Deku Tree had said to him, the morning before Link left them: "You have great anger within you, child. You must beware that anger, as evil will find a way to use it." the Deku Tree paused and breathed deep, "I can foresee that you will have a great choice before you: to follow your anger and hatred or to choose mercy and love. Always remember my son, you must choose the side of light. Love and protect your family always!" The lost child’s eyes began to water as he began to realize what he had become.

Black tears streaked down his face and dropped onto the cold stone floor as the evil yellow light faded completely from his blue eyes. "No..." he croaked at the ghost, "I will not hurt... my brother." The phantom screamed in rage and cast both of the boys against the far wall. "Then the both of you will die!" she screamed as she dove down upon them.

Gallantly, Mido covered Link with his own body and slashed the Kokiri Sword out at the ghost. The phantom dodged to the side and mercilessly clawed at Mido's face. A terrible roar bellowed up from below as Link struggled to roll away from Mido and his attacker. "The master is coming! The master is coming for you!" the ghost jeered as she hacked away at Mido's body, "Soon, he will-" but a sudden whistle and flash through the air stopped her. The monster froze, hovering over Mido, with a twisted look of shock on her ghastly face. A brilliant, silver arrow stuck out from her neck and a small trickle of silver blood dripped onto the floor beside the boys.

"Your master will die, ghost. Just like you." came a deep voice from the doorway. Lord Alfon had found his squire.


	30. The Blood of the Goddess

**_Evening, January 28, 610 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 200_ **

**_The Princess’ Throne Room, Temple of Water_ **

Princess Zelda reached up and gently lifted the tiara from her head. It had been a very long day and she was exhausted. The weight of the gold made her feel even more drained. She set the princess' crown onto a small table beside her throne and began to loosen the braids of her hair. The sun had set and the evening sky shifted from a pale orange, to purple. Above Ganon's cloud, the stars were coming out of the inky darkness, one by one. Captain Corin had returned just before sunset and reported that he and Alfon had located Link's trail, and that the marshal had entered the Forbidden Forest to find him. As Zelda shook her hair free and leaned back against her throne, her mind focused intently on Alfon and his squire. "Goddess help me..." she thought to herself, "If anything happens to them... it will be my fault." Her thoughts poured over the destruction of Link's home, the anger and pain in his eyes when she ordered the army to not rescue the Kokiri, and the anguish that he must now be feeling in the forest.

Impa sat at Zelda's side on her councilor's seat. It stood taller than the other councilor seats, recognizing her status as Minister-Regent, but it did not compare to the Hylian Throne. The sheikah watched her ward intently as she removed her crown and relaxed her hair. "You're staring again Impa." she grumbled, turning her eye to frown at her attendant. "Apologies, your grace." Impa replied, but still did not avert her gaze. The princess did her best to ignore her and tried to focus on the two soldiers in the forest, but after a few minutes’ time, her minister’s watchful eye began to bother her again.

With a deep sigh, Zelda sat forward and faced her attendant, "What is it Impa? You only watch me like this when you have something serious on your mind." The regent smiled, "I didn't realize that you had become aware of that, your grace." she replied. "When was the last time your hair was brushed?" The princess was not expecting such a silly question. "I brushed it not long ago." she answered. "No, your grace, when was the last time _someone_ brushed your hair?" Impa pressed. The young royal was annoyed, this was obviously not what she was really after -this was just a distraction. "What does it matter?!" she asked angrily. "It matters, your grace. When?" Impa continued, undeterred.

Again, Zelda let out a frustrated sigh as she thought back. For a moment, she honestly could not recall the last time anyone had completely brushed her hair out. Zelda, or one of her handmaidens, would make small adjustments and corrections to her hair from day to day, but to completely let down her hair and brush out its tangles was something only her majesty had done. And then it struck her- Her mother had been the last to brush Zelda's hair. On the night of Gannondorf's attack, just before Zelda went to her room, the Queen had brushed out her hair and hummed a beautiful lullaby to her.

"It was... mama." she mumbled quietly. Her mouth was slowly turning dry and a lump was forming in her throat at the painful memory. "May I, your grace?" asked Impa. For a moment, Zelda did not acknowledge her. Her mind was flooded with memories of her parents and the pain of their loss. With a start, she looked back at her guardian to see her holding an elegant, silver hair brush. The princess felt strange about the request. Yes. she was a princess and used to having servants and hand maidens wait on her, but her mother had been the last to touch her hair in this way. It was a very tender, very intimate thing that she shared with her mama. Somehow, if she let Impa do it now, that would take something away from the Queen's memory. But the princess had been struggling these past months to move on and remain strong. She loved her parents dearly, but she could not allow herself to flounder in pity over their loss. Wiping a few tears from her eyes, she nodded to her attendant and turned her back to her. The sheikah silently rose and stepped behind the princess, lifting a lock of her hair, and gently pulled the brush through it.

For a few minutes, they remained silent as Impa gently smoothed out the princess' hair and delicately untangled any knots she found. "Your mother was a very busy woman." she began, eventually, "The kingdom demanded all of her strength for most of her life." Zelda knew this, but it felt strange to be hearing it from Impa now. "Despite the demands on her life though, her majesty always took the greatest joy in you, your grace. She often told me how much she looked forward to seeing you before bed. It was the one time each day that she did not have to be queen and she could just be... your mother." Impa continued. The lump in Zelda's throat grew larger as more tears welled in her eyes.

Her mother had been so kind -so perfect. She was love & warmth incarnate. All who met her, loved her at once, and she always made time for children; whether they were the offspring of nobility or the common children who played in the town square, the Queen loved them all. "Why... Why did he have to k-kill her?" she whimpered as she covered her face with her hands. Impa steadily continued brushing the princess' hair as she answered, "Never forget, your grace, that there is great evil in this world. And great evil seeks to do harm to any who cross its path. You cannot plead with it, you cannot reason with it, you cannot even bribe it -for long. Evil will always mean to cause you and your loved ones harm." The girl began to shiver, both with fear and anger at Gannondorf, "Then what can you do?" she asked. "Fight." answered Impa quietly, "Fight and be prepared to fight. If you don't, then evil will eventually win and consume us all." "Like Link and Alfon?" offered Zelda. For a brief moment, Impa paused her stroke, then continued, "Yes, Like our brave knights. Always ready to fight."

For nearly two hours, they spoke about the King and Queen. Mostly happy memories Zelda had of them and a few anecdotes from Impa on how they oversaw the kingdom. But after a time, the sheikah matron returned to the subject of preparing for evil. "Did your mother, ever tell you how the kingdom came into being?" she asked. " _Centuries ago, the people of Hylia founded the kingdom_." recited Zelda, " _They chose a great family to act as their rulers and so the kingdom began_." The minister closed her eyes and took a deep breath. This was the answer that she feared.

"I had hoped," she began, continuing to brush Zelda's hair, "that her majesty had spoken with you about... your beginning." "My beginning?" repeated Zelda, puzzled. As the night drifted by outside, Impa recited the Hylian legend of creation: How the three Great Goddesses formed creation and gave life to the world. How Hylia, daughter of the three, had been charged with keeping watch over the new life upon the earth. That a great evil had appeared and attacked Hylia and the first humans -seeking to take the Triforce. The Goddess had gathered her faithful together and placed them in a protected home, away from the earth, while she fought the great demon.

She told Zelda of the Hero of the Goddess - a great Hylian man -whom Hylia had loved dearly - that stayed behind and fought beside her and cared for her when she fell in battle. "Their love was the most powerful in all of the universe." The sheikah said dreamily as she stroked the princess' hair. "What happened to them?" Zelda asked, rather curious -she had never been told these stories with this level of detail. "The Goddess passed on from her holy form and the hero mourned her, to the end of his days." Impa answered. "How sad." The princess said after a moment, "All of the good stories have the loving couple live together forever." "Oh child..." breathed Impa, "There are many secrets you do not know."

She set down the brush and quietly checked the outside corridor for any listeners. Finding the temple empty and quiet, she bolted the door and returned to the princess. She resumed her brush-work, but this time, leaned close to Zelda to continue the tale. "But the Goddess did not perish, nor did her beloved knight." she whispered. In time, the Goddess would be reborn as a mortal woman and her knight would always be reborn near her, to keep her safe. These first two had continued the war with the Demon King and banished him from our world after a terrible battle. Then, when the world was made safe, the Hylian-faithful returned to the earth and founded the Kingdom of Hyrule, in the Goddess' honor.

"The Goddess reborn and her champion became the first Queen and King of Hyrule." explained Impa, "and forever after, they would name their firstborn daughter after the Goddess' mortal form." "I don't understand..." muttered Zelda, beginning to fear what her attendant was telling her. "The eldest daughter of the queen, carries the blood of the goddess within her. So long as she remains pure and true, she _is_ the Goddess in mortal form." answered Impa quietly. The princess’ heart beat much faster as the hairs on the back of her neck raised up. "And... what name did the Goddess Reborn take?" she asked. "It was 'Zelda', your grace.” The minister replied softly.

Zelda leapt from her throne and whirled around on Impa, "What are you saying?!" she demanded -her heart beating even faster. The sheikah gently set the brush down and stepped toward the princess. Resting her hands lightly on her shoulders, she answered, very quietly, "It is you, your grace. You are the Goddess Hylia reborn." The girl's mouth fell open in disbelief. She did not know whether to laugh or to shout at her attendant for such a story. "The princess is never told when she is young, for fear of a child's innocence giving away the secret." Impa explained, "But when her powers begin to manifest, the Queen takes her on a pilgrimage to the temples of the goddesses and instructs her on her purpose."

Impa looked into Zelda's eyes with a mournful look, "I am so sorry, your grace, that her majesty was not able to teach you before she left us. But now that your powers are blossoming-" but the princess cut her off, "No! No! It is absurd! I cannot be some hidden Goddess! It is just a story!" The regent quickly, yet gently, covered Zelda's mouth and motioned for quiet. "Even in the most trusted places, there are unwelcome ears, your grace, please." begged Impa. Zelda took a moment to breathe deep and tried to calm herself. When she was ready, she nodded to her attendant, who lifted her hand. "Your power," Impa began again, "The premonitions, the visions, the healing of mortally wounded men, these are some of the Goddess' most powerful abilities. Many princesses before you never had such strength, yet your power has awakened so early and so fiercely. There can be no doubt, you have the Goddess' strength within you and you must follow the path that it lays out for you."

Zelda shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. She was terrified. Everything she knew about herself, her family, had just changed in a moment and... she was alone. "What do I do?" she whimpered as she looked up at Impa. "Shh, it's alright princess." she soothed, "I am here and... if you'll allow me, I will guide you on the right path." The sheikah bowed her head and waited. For a moment, the princess hesitated. She did not want it. She did not want to be a Goddess reborn on the earth, she did not want to be the Princess of a shattered kingdom, she just wanted to be a simple girl with a simple life. Her eyes welled as she thought again of her parents and the lost connection that they might of had together -if Gannondorf had not murdered them. She stepped forward and threw her arms around her attendant. Impa was surprised, but quickly hugged the princess back. "There, there child, I'm here."

She led the princess to bed and assured her once again that all would be well. "Sleep now, and do not concern yourself about these things, your grace. Soon, we will speak more and I will begin your training." the sheikah finished with a warm smile as she brushed Zelda's tears away. The princess turned onto her side and pulled the blankets closely around her. Everything she knew was changing and she was powerless to stop it. Her attendant silently closed the door behind her and turned to walk down the corridor.

Standing several paces away was Captain Corin, who seemed to be waiting for her. Immediately, Impa became suspicious and grasped the handle of her sword -hidden in the back of her dress, "What did you hear?!" she demanded in a hushed voice. Corin's eyebrows raised quickly in surprise, "Nothing, my lady." he answered. The sheikah warrior did not believe him and dashed forward, drawing her blade, and held it against his throat, "Liar! Why are you following us?! What did you hear?!" she hissed. Very slowly, the captain raised his hands, palms toward Impa, to show that he was unarmed, "By the light of the three, my lady, I have heard no words since entering the temple. I am only here to deliver the midnight report." She studied his face carefully. His eyes showed genuine confusion and fear and she had not considered the nightly report.

Lowering her sword, she bowed to the captain. "Forgive me sir... I am unsettled. Much has happened and I... feel an unwelcome presence in the temple but I cannot explain it." she said bashfully. Corin rubbed his neck where her sword had been, "Think nothing of it, my lady." he answered, rather gruffly, "I only wish I could more completely earn your trust." The minister rose and saw the pain on his face. He was genuinely hurt that she had suspected him of evil intent. "I..." she started awkwardly, "I fear for the princess' safety. Something is not right and... there are other matters, Royal matters that will need much of my attention soon."

The captain looked at her curiously, but knew he should not press for details. "If there is anything I can do to be of assistance, my lady..." he began. "Yes, actually," Impa suddenly started again, with a new idea coming to her, "I require a secluded location so that I may... meditate." "Meditate?" echoed Corin, confused. "Yes, it is critical for a sheikah to meditate regularly and I believe it will do the princess some good to join me." She explained, "But it must be secluded. Absolutely undisturbed. Do you know of anywhere safe?" The captain thought for a moment, then replied, "Yes, near one of the streams that feeds into the lake. A short distance upriver, there was an old fisherman's house next to a pool in the stream. He is gone now, but his land and home would make a very quiet, very _secluded_ place for meditation. But, my lady, I am very uncomfortable at the thought of yourself and the Princess being so far from the guard at the lake. If anything were to happen-" "If she is with me, she will be safe!" Impa answered him suddenly. "Thank you, Captain! You have been of great help to us both!"


	31. Sages and Demons

**_Afternoon, January 28, 610 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 200_ **

**_The Temple of the Forest, Lost Woods_ **

Alfon quickly rolled Mido's body off of Link and pulled the boy onto his feet. "Are you alright?" he asked urgently. The squire's head was still swimming, but his strength was slowly returning. "Yes, I think so..." he answered, "What about Mido?" Both of them turned to the wounded Kokiri, who now lay at the base of the southern staircase. Much of his face had been torn away by the phantom and a large, deep gash now lay across his chest. Somehow, he was still breathing. "Link..." he whispered through his exposed teeth. The boy quickly knelt beside his friend and leaned down. Mido reached up and grasped his tunic, pulling him very close and whispered something into his ear. A great roar and violent quake rolled up from the chamber below them. "Come on!" shouted Alfon, "there's nothing we can do for him!" The dying Kokiri released Link's tunic and nodded to him. Slowly, the bright blue of his remaining eye dimmed and his body became still.

A second quake caused large cracks to form in the floor beneath them. "Come on!" bellowed the knight as he shoved the Kokiri sword into his squire’s hand and pulled his arm up the stairs. The boy, still grieving the loss of his adopted brother, stared back at Mido's body as the next tremor shattered the stone floor and swallowed it down into the darkness below. A heavy black smoke streamed upward and flooded the chamber as Alfon and Link burst through the door into the hallway beyond. "What is that?" the marshal cried -an unusual note of fear in his voice. "I don't know," replied Link, "They just called it 'The Master'."

Several loud crashes and bangs followed as the great beast broke its way through the stone floor and climbed into the phantom's chamber above. Both squire and master fled as quickly as they could down the long corridor toward the temple entrance. "Our horses are just outside." shouted Alfon, "We'll ride to the open plains! There we can find help!" "No!" cried Link in reply, "The Kokiri are here! They are caged in one of the courtyards! We have to help them!" "I will not argue with you boy!" The marshal bellowed, but Link had already broken off and dashed into another chamber on the right. "Damn that boy!" he growled as he turned and chased after him.

At a full sprint, the little hero frantically tried to find the hidden courtyard where he had seen Saria and the others. After several dead ends and empty rooms, he finally burst out into the overgrown garden where Mido had captured him, but the roaring monster and sounds of shattering stones still followed closely behind them. "We have to be quick!" he shouted as he ran to the nearest cage and pulled at its bars. Each of the ashen captives shrank with fear at the sight of Alfon as he came through the doorway. He stopped and stared at each of them in turn.

"These were your... family?" he asked his squire in disbelief. "The forest has changed them somehow. Argh! Help me!" Link shouted back. The great knight rushed forward and pulled Link back away from the cage. "Stay back!" he commanded, drawing his long sword. "You, get as low in that cage as you can!" he ordered the frightened creature inside. The ashen Kokiri obeyed and flattened himself against the bottom of the cage. With one great swing, Alfon clove the wooden cage in two and kicked its top to the side. He repeated this maneuver until each of the shadowy children had been freed. "All of you, come on! We're leaving!" he shouted as he turned to the door.

"No... we cannot leave the temple!" a meek little voice argued. A violent roar and crash nearby told all that the monster had reached the doorway to the courtyard. "The well!" cried Link as he pointed to the vine covered well, "We can use it to escape!" "No! No! You mustn't!" sobbed Saria, "The beast is Ganon's link to the forest. If you flee, it will continue to corrupt our land!" The marshal moved to grab the children and carry them to the well, but was knocked down by the explosion of stonework behind him.

The temple door shattered and the grey stone wall that once held it crumbled and scattered violently outward. From within, a great wave of darkness and smoke flooded out into the courtyard, covering the ground and darkening the sky above. A deep growl and thundering footsteps, heralded the approach of the temple’s ‘Master’. Within the dark smoke, a massive, shadowy form stepped up to the shattered wall and glared down at the courtyard’s pitiful inhabitants. For a moment, Link sat frozen in horror staring back up at the beast. It was huge – far larger than the bat had been! It stood on two powerful legs and carried two powerful arms which bore massive, bloody cleavers. No features could be seen from its face, save the long horns protruding upward, and its burning eyes. In an instant, Link felt the sickening cold and numbness from the Temple of Time return.

With a furious roar, the beast charged into the courtyard, shaking the ground as its hooves fell. Lord Alfon leapt back onto his feet and raised his sword, "For the Goddess!" he screamed as he charged directly at the beast. Link drew his little sword once again and called to the Kokiri to flee down the well. His master’s cry had shaken the cloud from his mind -for a moment- and he now knew that if he just focused on helping Alfon, then he might be able to keep it at bay. He rushed into the fight, desperate to buy time for Saria to escape.

The marshal ducked, dodged, and parried the beast's attacks skillfully, but the monster possessed incredible strength and the knight was soon knocked back against the edge of the well. His squire now found himself standing alone before the menacing shadow, _alone_. The monster gave a deep, bubbling growl as it raised one cleaver to strike. In near panic, Link dove between the monster's legs and rolled behind it, just as the cleaver crashed to the ground. Pivoting quickly, the boy drove his sword into the back of the beast's knee with all of his strength. Roaring in agony, the monster collapsed to its knees and thrashed its arms to its sides, trying to catch the small boy. Again, and again, the valiant squire slashed and stabbed at the beast's back, but beyond the cries of pain, Link could not tell if he was actually harming it.

Dropping its weapons, the shadow twisted round and finally seized Link with both of its claws. His master, now recovered, slipped his bow down from his back and notched another silver arrow. The squire struggled to breathe against the monster's crushing grip as it lifted him off the ground. The venomous glow of the beast’s eyes began to fill Link with the same fear, the same icy numbness that Ganon had in the Temple of Time. “Surrender!” it seemed to command, “Just give up… and die!” The shadow’s jaws opened wide and lifted the boy closer. The world was falling away now and he could feel the icy will of death reaching out to him -when Alfon's arrow struck.

With a burning wail, very different from the cries it had made at Link’s attacks, the monster dropped the boy and thrashed in its pain at the argent arrow, now buried into its back. The squire, rising to one knee, quickly slashed at the beast's belly as Alfon loosed several more arrows. In moments, the shadowy terror’s movements slowed and its cries grew weaker. With a dull groan, the great shadow slumped forward and crashed onto the ground. The smoke around its body faded under the warmth of the sun and blew away in the breeze as the monster’s form began to melt into nothingness.

Keeping an arrow notched and ready, the marshal quickly dashed around the giant’s corpse to his squire. "Are you hurt?!" he asked urgently. "I-I don't think so." gasped Link, who still struggled to regain his breath after the beast dropped him. As the clear daylight returned, the shadow upon the ground before them was reduced to a black oil that spread over the grass, then slowly evaporated with a disgusting hiss.

Saria and the other Kokiri crept back up the vines covering the well and approached the two soldiers. "T-Thank you for saving us." she said meekly to Alfon. The marshal stared at her for a moment. How could such a frightening creature possess such a sweet and innocent voice? He quickly returned his arrow to its quiver and slung his bow across his back. "You must come with us," he answered her, "It is not safe here." "He's right Saria," added Link as he picked up the other silver arrows from the ground where the beast had fallen, "We can take you to Lake Town. There are many good people there, you will be safe." "No." she replied, "We are the children of the forest. We cannot leave it and..." she now turned to face the temple, "... and a new sage will need to be chosen."

"What are you saying?" the knight asked skeptically as his squire handed him the gathered arrows. "That beast, was sent by Ganon several months ago." Saria explained, "It corrupted the Sage of the Forest and poisoned the landscape with its evil. Now that it has been destroyed, the forest may be free to recover, but... a new sage must be chosen." Link thought for a moment, then realized, "The grey phantom. She was the old sage, wasn’t she?" "Yes," answered the Kokiri, "She could not resist Ganon's evil and became the phantom of the forest." The others crept back into the temple and began to walk toward the ruined chamber where Mido and the Phantom had fallen. "What are you doing?" The boy asked. "We must tend the forest Link. It is our purpose." she replied, "and I must tend the temple... as its new sage. The Deku Tree was preparing me for this in case anything ever happened to the old sage." Her friend now noticed that the ashen leaves that made up her hair had started to regain some of the brilliant green that Saria's hair once had.

The group soon reached the shattered doorway to the main chamber. The entire floor, passed the staircase, had collapsed into the level below. "That was the sage's sanctuary," murmured Saria, "It is there that this temple is connected to the sacred realm. I will work to keep Ganon's evil from returning here." She finished, turning to Link and smiling, "Thank you Link for coming back for me! I never gave up hope that you would." Gently she brushed her hand against his cheek. "This is madness!" Alfon objected. "This is destiny, my lord." she replied softly. "Please, tell Princess Zelda that we are here and that we are with her!" With a final, sad glance at Link, she turned and followed the other Kokiri down the shattered stonework and into the ruined sanctuary below. A faint blue glow began to light their way as they descended. "Come." said the marshal, "It's their choice. We need to get back to the lake."

By sundown, the two reached the ruined village. Link dropped down from Epona and asked Alfon to wait for a moment. "I... need to say goodbye." he stammered as he looked back at Mido's ruined home. The marshal narrowed his eyes suspiciously, "Very well, but be quick." he answered. His squire walked into the old house and returned a few moments later. "Done?" asked Alfon, and Link nodded. Climbing back onto Epona, they returned to their journey and made their way back to the forest path to Hyrule.

The boy remained silent as they traveled and despite the darkness, his master could see that he was rather downcast. "All wars bring loss son." he tried to soothe, "try to take pride in the lives that you have saved and the evil that you helped to destroy." But he was not listening. The squire grunted an acknowledgement to his master, but his mind was focused on the small bundle hidden beside his ribs, beneath his tunic. His brother had told him to search under the floor of his house and there, Link had found a rolled bundle of cloth. He didn’t know what it was, but he was sure it was something important to him.

Several hours passed before they emerged once again onto Central Hyrule's plains. Alfon ordered a halt as he carefully scanned the horizon for any threats. Turning this way and that in the saddle, he suddenly muttered, "Well, look at that!" Link started, believing his master had located some enemy, until he saw that his master was looking upward -toward the sky. The little squire lifted his head and drew a small gasp of surprise. The heavy cloud layer that had blanketed Hyrule since Ganon's attack was slowly breaking and giving way above the forest. For the first time in many months, the two now saw the silvery stars of the Hylian night sky. They stayed there for some time, watching Ganon's evil lose its grip over the forest and drinking in the beauty of the uncovered heavens. The boy's heart was stirred. There was hope after all and somehow, he knew that Saria had opened the sky for them. "Do you think it will last?" he asked the knight. "I hope so lad." he answered softly, "It would do all of us some good."


	32. Choices and Consequences

**_January 29, 610 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 201_ **

**_Lake Hylia_ **

Link and his master continued their journey back to the Lake at a slow pace during the night. Despite the successful attack on one of Ganon's strongholds, no enemy patrol approached them as they slowly traveled to the Hylians’ refuge. As the stars slowly turned above them, the squire's head began to droop and he lightly dozed on Epona's back. The marshal was tired as well and his arm ached terribly, but his mind remained restless. Now that the apprehension over Link's disappearance and the beast in the Forest Temple had passed, Alfon was pondering how the boy should be punished.

Several times since he had taken the oath, he had pressed his lord for permission to go to the forest and search for his friends, but Alfon had denied him every time. Now, at his first chance, Link had slipped away when his master was incapacitated and done what he had been commanded not to do. Such acts of disobedience often brought harsh consequences in the Hylian Army. The great knight turned his head and studied his dozing squire with a deep sigh though -his heart was not made of stone. The boy had been in terrible pain and fear over the destruction of his home and the loss of his family for months. To complicate matters further, he had been right to go to the forest. Some of the Kokiri _had_ survived and needed rescue -on top of the evil that was slowly spreading from the Forest Temple. Link mumbled in his sleep as he slowly leaned forward and laid against Epona’s mane. The young filly proudly kept her head held high as her little master slept. Lord Alfon smiled and turned his eyes back to the road. He would deal with this squire, but it would be tempered and fair.

They approached the gate to the lake-road just after sunrise and met with Captain Corin. Ever since he and Alfon had parted at the Forest Road, Corin had kept a number of mounted soldiers ready to ride, just in case the Marshal should return with a pursuit. The three, along with the captain’s escort, now re-entered Lake Town and made their way to the stables. "See that the horses are fed and watered, then get some sleep." The marshal commanded his ward as he dismounted. "Yes master." the squire replied with a yawn. "I must report to the Princess and the Minister." He finished as he and Corin trudged away. Link rubbed his eyes as he led the three horses into their stalls. Soon, he had filled their water buckets and thrown large armfuls of hay into their feed bins. Returning to his small tent, the young warrior pulled off his boots and dropped onto his bed, asleep.

As the captain and marshal made their way over to the temple, Alfon quickly filled Corin in on the events in the forest. "So, the temple was being controlled by some... beast sent by Gannondorf?" Corin asked in disbelief. "Yes," answered his lord, "and he seems to be calling himself 'Ganon' now. At least, that is what the Kokiri said." His eyes were sore and heavy and his arm was still aching, but Alfon swiftly made his way to the Princess' council room.

"Lord Alfon, Marshal of the Armies of Hyrule, your highness." announced the chamber guard as he entered and knelt before the princess' throne. "Your Royal Highness," he greeted, bowing his head, "your servant awaits your command." In his fatigue, Alfon did not notice the grim faces that Impa and Zelda were both wearing. "Arise and report." answered the princess stiffly. With a soft grunt, the marshal returned to his feet. "Your highness, I have located my squire and returned him safely to the camp." he began with a smile, but froze when he caught Impa's glare. "Good. Now we can clear this up!" she snapped as she turned to the princess. Alfon glanced between the two of them. Confused, he asked, "My lady? Clear up what?"

"The situation is more serious than we originally thought, my lord." Zelda replied, "It seems, that your squire disobeyed direct orders from an officer." A small shiver of fear ran up Alfon's spine. He had told no one of Link's requests to go to the forest... how could they have known? When he did not answer, Impa spoke up, "The captain of the infantry company that aided you on the field reported in last night. He claims to have ordered Link to escort yourself, the injured girl, and the rescued horses back to the lake. By breaking off and entering the forest on his own, your squire has not only disobeyed orders, but abandoned his duty during war!"

The marshal was shocked, Link had said nothing about orders from an infantry captain, only that he had entered the forest to look for his family. He quickly explained the events in the forest and stressed that Link had in fact found several of the Kokiri alive and in need of rescue. For a few moments, Impa and Zelda seemed to forget Link's transgressions as Alfon described the Forest Temple, its monster, and the Kokiri who spoke of becoming a new sage. "We would never have learned these things if Link had not been there." The princess said softly, casting a sidelong glance upward at Impa. "No..." muttered her guardian in deep thought, "But no matter the happy outcome, the boy is a soldier and committed crimes against the soldier's law. He must be punished." She quickly added, returning to herself. "Punished?" echoed Alfon with a rising tone, "He's only a boy."

Zelda remained silent and looked down at her lap as the regent continued her push, "He is a boy who was deemed ready to take the soldier's oath. Thus, he is bound by the soldier's law!" The knight grew angry at her rigid interpretation of the Army's code. "He is my squire then, I shall see him punished." he growled, attempting to settle the matter. "It is not that simple." replied Impa with a sigh, "If this had been some small infraction against you or another 'close comrade' then we could have settled it quietly through hard labor or additional duties. But your squire defied the orders of one of our field captains. Orders that were given to him in front of an entire company. If he is not punished -publicly- then word will spread that he is favored or... that the kingdom's leadership is soft and weak." The princess squirmed uncomfortably upon her throne as her minister finished. Clearly, she was unsettled by Impa's words.

"Soldiers, for all of their training and discipline, often step outside of their bounds. It is in the nature of being a soldier." Alfon argued, "and their sergeants, captains, and lords are granted leave to punish them as they see fit. I ask only to be granted the same privilege to discipline my squire as I see fit." "Were there any way, I would," answered Impa as she turned her attention to the door, "Captain Corin, come in here!"

Corin, startled by the unexpected summon, swiftly entered the room and bowed. "My Lord, My Lady, Your Highness. How may I serve?" he greeted. "Tell me Corin, what is the punishment for a man who abandons his duty during war?" Impa asked sharply. The captain raised his eyebrows in surprise and looked at Alfon. "Answer her." the marshal muttered under his breath. "Normally," he began cautiously, "the presiding authority has leave to prescribe the sentence of death to any soldier who -by abandoning his duty during war- causes the death of another Hylian, My Lady." Zelda gave a slight whimper and covered her mouth with one hand. Impa ignored her and continued, "And if a soldier has abandoned his duty, during war, but not caused the death of a Hylian by doing so?" The captain furrowed his brow and began to ask, "My lady, is there something-" "Just answer her!" bellowed Alfon, cutting him off. "Lashes, my lady. Any man who abandons his post or his duty during war is flogged before the assembled company. Lesser punishments may be assigned by the commanding officer if there are any mitigating circumstances, but lashes are the punishment by law and tradition." he finished, completely bewildered.

"You cannot possibly mean to flog the boy." Alfon said, shaking as he strained to control his fury. He and Impa continued to argue for some time as Corin looked on in disbelief. The princess, still sitting quietly on her throne, had debated furiously with her minister on the subject of Link's punishment late into the previous night. She strenuously resisted her minister’s position that the boy should be dealt with harshly, but she could not resist her forever. Impa was regent, and until Zelda came of age, was the _actual_ ruler of Hyrule. If needed, she could override the Princess' authority on these matters.

In addition, messengers had arrived from the lesser kingdoms bringing ill news. "After his outburst at the Princess, we cannot allow him to do as he pleases! The Kingdom will see the crown as weak!" Impa shouted. "The crown? or the Minister?" hissed Alfon, jabbing his finger at the sheikah's chest. "How dare you?!" she shrieked in disbelief. "I will not allow my squire to be beaten in the square just to satisfy your ego Impa!" bellowed Alfon. The minister's eyes blazed with fury as Corin swiftly leapt between them and pushed his marshal back. "My Lord please! You forget yourself!" he plead.

"The kingdoms seek independence." Zelda said softly in the tense silence between her chief councilors. In a moment, all of the fire and fury within the room vanished as Corin and Alfon turned to stare dumbly at the princess. Impa flushed with embarrassment and dropped into her seat beside the throne. "What? Your Highness? What was that?" the marshal stammered. "The kingdoms have sent envoys requesting that they be 'allowed' to raise their own armies. To 'protect their homelands' from the evil at Hyrule Castle." she quietly explained. "That... That does not mean that they seek to rebel against the crown, your highness." Alfon objected.

"They have already acted upon it, Lord Alfon." Impa answered, "Our agents have reported that the Governors of all three of the Lesser Kingdoms have begun to organize small armies of their own and they have sent less than half of the men they have promised to support us in this war. They are preparing to break away. They see the princess as a weak child and with Gannondorf overthrowing the capitol... they see their opportunity to escape Hylian control. We must show them that the royal family is still strong! That it is still to be feared!" Her voice was firm as she finished, but her eyes were downcast. "You would flog a man - a boy - as a 'show of strength'?" Alfon said to the princess, "Forgive me Your Highness, but I do not see any wisdom or grace in that!"

Corin drew a short gasp and his eyes widened in fear as he looked back at his marshal in disbelief. " _Careful_ , my lord," warned Impa, "Or you will stand beside the boy!" "I stand by him now!" the knight shot back, as Zelda raised her hand for silence. "Captain," she began quietly as Corin snapped to attention, "Have you ever prescribed lashes to a soldier?" "Yes, Your Highness, once. A soldier was found sleeping while posted on guard duty a few months ago. He was flogged and, after being treated by the healers, returned to duty." he finished smartly. "How many lashes did you give him?" she asked, still with a quiet voice. "Ten, Your Highness." he answered.

The princess carefully considered her next move. She knew that Impa would not allow her to overlook Link's actions and she did not want to force her into a position where she would exert her authority over the Princess. Nor did she want to see Link punished in such a barbaric way. He acted out of love and courage, not malicious disobedience. "Five lashes then." she commanded. "Ten for disobeying orders and leaving his duty, but we shall take back five for his service in the forest." The minister pursed her lips for a moment, then inclined her head. Alfon ground his teeth and desperately tried to think of any argument that could either spare Link entirely or at least reduce his punishment to something lesser. But when nothing came, he too bowed his head and accepted the Sovereign’s judgment. "Bring him." she finished.

As the leaders of Hyrule debated Link's fate, a tall, slender man slipped into the squire’s tent. "What are you doing sleeping lad? It's the middle of the day, and there is work to be done!" he said as he gently rocked Link's shoulder. "Viscern!" the squire shouted after rubbing his eyes, "You made it through!" The Hylian ranger smiled broadly as he sat on the small stool inside Link's tent. "Yes, and Russell, though he may have come back with a fresh scar or two." He finished with a light chuckle.

They talked for nearly an hour as each explained what had happened. The two captains had turned north and made for Kakariko as they attempted to bring down several bats with their bows. They managed to force some to retreat back to the capitol with several arrows stuck in their hides, but one had swooped particularly low and attempted to take Russell from his horse. The bat's claws tore into his left forearm as it tried to lift him, but old veteran swiftly hacked its leg off with his broadsword. Laughing, Viscern finished, "I imagine it will be very hard for him to land when he gets back to his master!" Fortunately, the bats' claws are not poisoned like their fangs, and the captain was able to bind up his own injury until they reached Kakariko.

Though still very tired, Link regaled his adventure from the ranch, to his own battle with a giant bat, to the forest, and back to the lake. When the ranger frowned doubtfully at the boy, he produced the three fangs he had taken from his satchel. The ranger began laughing again as he studied them, "Oh, Russell will be furious! He has a claw, but you actually managed to take some fangs!" "They aren't all mine." replied Link, "One is for Alfon and the third is for Malon - the girl we saved." The captain smiled proudly at him and patted his shoulder, "You're a good lad, Link! I'm sure you will make a brilliant knight some day! His lordship must be very proud of you!"

The sound of heavy boots approaching ended their conversation, as one of the princess' guards pushed his head through the tent's entrance and glared down at Link. "Boy! Come with me! The princess has summoned you!" he barked as both squire and captain stared at him. Link rose, and reached for his sword and belt. "No weapons!" the guard bellowed. "What is this about?" Viscern asked, "The squire has just returned from a dangerous mission and needs his rest." The soldier scowled angrily at the ranger. "A courts-martial is being convened. Now MOVE!" he shouted.


	33. Passing from One Era into Another

**_January 29, 610 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 201_ **

**_Lake Hylia_ **

Link's trial was very short. The infantry captain retold his story of how the boy had been instructed to lead the horses back to the lake and to escort the wagon of wounded. The squire did not deny it and even went so far as to admit that he knew Alfon did not want him to go into the forest. When asked why he had done this, he simply answered, "I had to know if they were alive or dead."

The princess could not look at him. She knew exactly how he felt and would have done the exact same thing if she had a chance to find her parents alive. Her stomach clenched hard as Impa declared the judgment and sentenced him to five lashes before the garrison at dawn the next day. With no stockade available to them, Link was commanded to remain in his tent until summoned for his punishment. The squire stood frozen with shocked disbelief as the guards closed his wrists in irons and started to drag him away. "But I saved them! They were still alive and I saved them!" his shouts echoed as they disappeared down the corridor. Once he had gone, Zelda let out a loud sob and began to weep into her hands. The minister gently rubbed her back and tried to comfort her, but Alfon looked down at her with cold apathy. "If it hurts your highness, then remember it." He growled.

**_January 30, 610 GK, The War of Imprisonment, Day 202_ **

**_Lake Hylia_ **

The following morning, the entire garrison -save those men posted at the gates on the lake road- were assembled and ordered into ranks. A small wooden arch was erected near the lake's edge with two iron chains hanging from the top. Russel and Viscern entered Link’s tent, tied the boy’s wrists behind his back, and slowly led him across the camp to the arch. Each step became harder and harder to take as the terror in the boy’s heart grew. He was so distracted; he did not notice how Russel’s attitude toward him had changed. “Don’t worry lad. You are not the first and you certainly won’t be the last.” The old veteran tried to soothe as he marched the boy toward his punishment.

The captains stripped Link of his mail, cap, and tunic and manacled his hands to the arch, then stood ahead of the boy, looking back at him. Zelda, Impa, and Captain Corin stood to one side of the assembled company as Alfon took his station directly behind his squire, holding a long, coiled whip. After the captains had secured Link's chains and took their stations, the great knight quietly whispered to his squire. "Life is often cruel lad. Despite our best efforts, sometimes terrible things happen to us and to those we love. What determines a man's worth, is how he deals with these cruelties. Does he cower and despair? Wailing that he does not deserve what has happened? or does he stand and face the challenge with courage?" Link strained to twist his head around as he muttered back to his master, "I saved them Alfon... they would have died if we hadn't killed that monster!" tears were forming in the boy's eyes and his voice shook with both anger and great fear of the pain he was about to experience. "I know son," his master replied -his own voice choking-, "... make me proud."

"Captain," Impa shouted, "Read the charges." With a downcast face, Corin slowly drew a scroll from his belt and cleared his throat. "For disobeying the lawful orders of a superior officer. For abandoning his duties during a time of war, which placed Hylian lives at great risk. For disobeying the expressed command of his master. This squire is sentenced to be flogged before the garrison at dawn. Five lashes." A few hushed murmurs rippled up and down the assembled mass of soldiers as he returned the scroll to his belt. Link clenched his shaking hands into fists as the cold morning air brushed against him. The marshal breathed slowly and attempted to force every thought out of his mind. There was nothing he could do to stop this, but he could focus on where the whip should land, to create the least harm.

Farther up the lakeshore, on a small hill, stood Telma, Talon, Malon, and several of Lake Town’s residents. Talon was trying to gently console Telma, who was already sobbing into her handkerchief. On the lake's glassy surface, a small troop of Zora watched in grim disbelief. Turning and looking out over the water, Link could make out the small coral earrings and purple eyes of Princess Ruto, watching from the center. She tried to smile at him, but her eyes were streaming, watching her savior be stripped and chained.

"Proceed." commanded the regent in a cold voice. Zelda's throat nearly closed with apprehension. "I'm so sorry Link." she thought to herself as she watched him. Though he had served beside Alfon for several months, he still possessed the body of a young boy, and the sight of a _boy_ being chained and flogged beside the lake was too much. As silently as she could, the princess wiped tears away from her eyes and stifled several small whimpers as she breathed.

Captain Corin turned and marched toward Alfon, halting one pace behind him and to his right. "You may begin, My Lord." he announced. “Look at me, boy!” grunted Russel, “Keep your eyes on me!” The terrified squire lifted his head and stared into the captain’s scarred face. When their eyes met, the old veteran nodded grimly to him and held his gaze. “Stay right here lad. Just look at me.” he whispered.

The marshal slowly drew a deep breath and silently prayed, "Goddess... Give me strength. Goddess... forgive me." The company stood silently, holding the tension of the moment and the terrible punishment that was about to come. But after a few moments of the marshal’s hesitation, Corin whispered, "No man would think less of you, My Lord, if you cannot-" but Alfon cut him off with a shout, "He is _my_ squire! No one else shall touch him!" as he shook out the whip and landed the first strike.

Searing pain -greater than any the boy had ever felt before- tore through Link's left shoulder and the wet trickle of blood began to run down his back. "ONE!" cried Corin. The squire gasped and struggled to regain his breath as his heartbeat seemed to race out of control. “Stay with me, right here boy!” shouted Russel.

A second sharp crack followed and a fresh gash was added to Link's right shoulder. He ground his teeth as an agonized groan began to escape his lips -tears already pouring down his cheeks. "TWO!" cried the captain as the marshal drew back for the next strike. Zelda struggled with her own agony, clamping her own hand over her mouth to keep from crying out.

"THREE!" cried Corin, as Link yelped and dropped to hang helplessly from his chains.

"FOUR!" followed as Alfon struck the back of his other thigh.

“Almost there lad.” Tried Russel, but the boy had been pushed beyond his limits. Dropping his head back, he openly screamed in bloody agony as he hung, crippled, from his wrists. The princess let out a small cry of sorrow and moved to rush forward, but Impa grabbed her arm and quickly stopped her. "No, Your Grace! You cannot!" she urged as she pulled Zelda tightly beside her. Several in the company had seen what she had done and knew that she was unable to bear what was being done to her friend.

As Alfon shook his arm and prepared for the final strike, an echoing cry erupted out from the townsfolk, "Mercy, My Lord! Mercy!" Telma, collapsed onto her knees, wailed and sobbed to her beloved to spare Link the final blow. Talon tried, desperately to silence her, but it was useless. She no longer feared what Impa would do to her. She only cared for “her little soldier.”

Several other women in the crowd joined her and began to chant, "Mercy, mercy!" Even Princess Ruto shouted to Zelda, "He saved our people from destruction! Have mercy your highness!" With her eyes bloodshot and streaming tears, Zelda visibly shook with the struggle inside her mind. Within the crowd, atop the hill, she could plainly see the messengers from the lesser kingdoms, watching curiously. They would faithfully report what they had seen and heard back to their masters. But the cries of pain from Link were quickly breaking down her resolve.

Telma’s voice echoed in Alfon’s ears. For an instant, he considered stopping the punishment. “I could do it… I could force her to command the fifth blow. They would hate her for it.” He thought to himself as he watched the blood of his ward drip onto the grass below him. But these rebellious dreams quickly passed. He was a knight and loyal servant of the sovereign; he could not act against the crown or its regent -no matter how small.

Over the shouts from the people and the cries of pain from his squire, the marshal cracked the whip once more as the fifth and final gash appeared across the middle of Link's back. The chanting mass of townsfolk fell suddenly silent and the boy’s pitiful screams echoed out over the lake’s basin.

As Alfon re-coiled the whip in his hands, Corin shouted "FIVE!" and -after a brief pause- finished, "The sentence now being carried out, release the prisoner!"

Russel and Viscern dashed forward to unchain the boy while two of the infirmary’s nurses laid him face-down onto a small cart and rushed him into the temple. The marshal roughly handed the whip to Captain Corin and -turning to the Princess- shouted, "Will there be anything else, Your Highness?" Unable to speak, Zelda just shook her head "No." and turned away.

"Company! ATTENTION!" the marshal bellowed, "Dismissed." The gathered soldiers straightened their backs, tamped their spears against the hard ground once, and dispersed. Mournfully, Corin looked up at his marshal, "You did what you had to do, my lord. Better his master than some stranger." he said, trying to comfort his friend. "What are we doing Corin?" Alfon asked, "We're struggling to hold onto our kingdom, barely able to contain the evil at the capitol, and she has us whipping him for acting like a hero!" The captain turned and watched the regent and princess disappear into the temple with a concerned frown. "She is doing what she judges to be right, my lord. Trying to keep what is left of the kingdom from splintering apart." With an angry spasm, the marshal leaned in close and whispered, "You find me one Hylian here who had to watch _a boy_ be flogged to remain loyal to his princess!"

With a deep sigh, Corin left his friend and attended to his other duties around the lakeside town. The marshal made to enter the temple and sit beside his ward in the infirmary, but Viscern and Russell briefly stopped him. "It is good to see you well, my lord! After what happened with the bats." The old veteran said as he and his comrade bowed their heads. "And you, my friends. The only good thing to come in these days... to see you both alive and well." replied Alfon.

"Do not worry yourself too much my lord, the boy is strong." Viscern said. "Aye," added Russell, "and there is hardly a sergeant or captain in this army who hasn't felt the lash at least once." "At such a young age?" the knight asked. "Well..." he began, but was lost for any response. After an awkward silence, the ranger asked, "What will become of him now, my lord?"

Alfon thought for a moment before answering, "He will bitterly hate the princess and Impa for this. Hatred which could easily turn into something worse. I will have to train him -day and night- to keep his mind focused." The two captains nodded their agreement. “I could… give the boy a lesson or two… when you are called away for duty.” Added Russell thoughtfully. The marshal gave a weak smile, “I knew you would like him, old dog.” The captain grimaced uncomfortably in return, “I don’t _like_ him! He just… showed real _spine_ at the ranch. He could become a good soldier. That is all!” he quickly answered.

"The princess. She was heartbroken -everyone could see that." Viscern said softly, still staring at the entrance to the temple. "Everyone... but Link." replied Alfon, "Nothing will be the same for him now. He's entered a new chapter of his life -a much darker one- Whether he's wanted to or not."

_~Here ends “The Breaking of Time”: Book 1 of The War of Imprisonment Series~_


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